Part 4 - Streets of Rage - Chasing Justice
by ghostwriterpleiedes
Summary: Series 4 (following Beginnings, Rebirth & Path of a heroine) Wood Oak City is in turmoil as war has been declared with the Lima nations over the assassination of General Petrov. There are many unlocked doors that Adam, Axel and Blaze have to face in order to save their city.
1. Chapter 1- Sunday

**Series 4**

 **Chapter 1**

 **November 10** **th** **, 90 days after war was declared over Wood Oak City by the Lima nations.**

Today is a Sunday, the best day of the week.

The suburbs of Wood Oak City this morning are quiet and dormant, it is as if a war never existed. Most of the damage from the war has hit Central District, Wood Oak City hard with air raids and bombs however during the last month since a peace treaty between the Lima nations, the situation has been under control but is still very fragile.

Axel's dojo just outside of the city was temporary closed when the war broke out but luckily the damages to the building were not severe and were easily repaired over the last month.

The calm silence is gratifying as Axel wakes up in his bed. Not even the sound of a single aircraft can be heard for miles and the outside neighbourhood is as quiet as it gets at 8am on a Sunday morning.

"Nice of you to stay the night, I counted that as the 4th time this week" he grins as Blaze opens her eyes next to him.

Blaze: "You'd better be on your guard then" she replies as she reaches for her spare key on the bedside table next to him.

Axel: "Just don't go changing the place too much" he says before he kisses her.

Blaze: "hmmm, I can't promise anything!" she glances over towards the stack of video games lying around on the floor.

Blaze: "Hey don't you have to open the dojo this morning?"

Axel: "It's closed today".

Blaze: "Really? Why?" she asks, puzzled.

Axel smiles: "Come with me, I got a surprise for you".

Five minutes later and they're both quickly dressed and out of the door towards the gym and dojo building situated within a five minutes' walk from Axel's house.

Blaze: "What's going on?" she asks inquisitively as they reach the entrance when he unlocks the shutters and the door.

Axel: "You'll see, close your eyes". She follows his lead as he takes her hand and guides her into the building through the main dojo and gym.

Blaze: "ok seriously now I wanna know!"

Axel: "Keep your eyes closed, don't open them until I say ok?"

They stop when she hears a light switch flicker.

Axel: "ok, you can open them now".

Her breath is taken away as Blaze sees a beautiful brand new dance studio before her with clean pinewood floors, shiny new mirrors that fill up the walls as well as a ballet bar on one side, state of the art sound system and a shelf high up containing many of Blaze's old trophies. She is speechless and in awe of it all.

Axel: "So? What do you think?"

Blaze: "Oh wow, this is, wow this is so amazing… thank you" she smiles.

Axel: "I meant what I said, what's mine is yours and I wanna build a future with you. I know this has been a dream of yours for a long time to have your own studio plus it works perfectly next to the dojo".

Blaze: "I love you" she says with seriousness. This happy moment feels like it could last forever as her words echo around them. 

* * *

_**#Explosion#**_

The sound of the heavy sirens jolts Blaze awake. She suddenly realises she is no longer dreaming as her lungs fill with smoke from the air around her. All she can see right now is darkness and crashed rubble as she struggles to stand up. The shelter she is staying in had at least 40 people there last night, mostly families with their children that she had rescued from the dangerous streets outside.

As Blaze coughs and struggles to walk with a bleeding leg, she looks down at the ground and tries to make sense of all of the bodies surrounding her. The ringing in her ears makes it impossible to hear anyone who could be shouting for help as everyone around her appears to be dead.

"Come on we have to get out of here, more troops are coming!" The first person she sees running towards her is Adam who takes her hand as they run towards the nearest exit that is not blocked off. On the way out he shoots an officer who tries to stop them. Everything slows down as they just about make it safely to Adam's police car.

Adam looks down at her from the driver's seat whilst they get away as Blaze lays down at the back of the car.

Adam: "stay with me, I'm gonna get you to a doctor at right away. You'll be ok!"

Blaze: "What happened?" her hearing and orientation starts to return slowly.

Adam: "those mother fuckers hit the building next to yours! I'm taking you back to base".

Blaze: "Wait we have to go back, more people are inside".

Adam: "You were the only one who survived, I scanned the whole building using the drone. It was crazy you had this green energy aura surrounding you when you were laying on the floor breathing. I think your own chi saved you from the explosion".

Blaze's eyes start to tear up as she remembers the others who were in the building with her that never made it out.

Adam: "I'm sorry Blaze".

Blaze: "What day is it today?"

Adam: "It's Sunday"

Sunday is the last word she remembers before her eyes shut again.

* * *

The first thing that Blaze notices when she wakes up is the large clock on the wall in the centre of ten hospital beds. Around her lie several injured police officers, most of which have permanent injuries.

With effort, she gets up from her bed and immediately changes into her WOPD uniform. Two days after the war started, the police force reinstated Blaze as they became desperate for her help. Adam and Tim are now leading a team of police officers to clean up the streets from the gangs who are carving up territory whilst the police also have to defend the city from Lima's officers who successfully made it to invade Wood Oak. Many of the soldiers like Axel are still fighting on Lima's territory but they are now battling in a losing war.

11:20pm to be exact. Adam is either downstairs briefing the thirty or so officers they have left or he is on night patrol. As Blaze reaches the downstairs part of their hidden confinement, she spots Adam briefing ten other officers who are about to go outside on their night patrol.

When Adam finishes he approaches her.

Adam: "Hey, how are you feeling?"

Blaze: "Better. Why aren't I on the night patrol list?"

Adam: "I've placed you off duty over the next three days, you need to rest that wound" he glances down at her right bandaged leg.

Blaze: "I'm ok, you know I can still fight, your team need me".

Adam: "No, you're going back to bed, that's an order".

Blaze: "What use is that huh? Me doing nothing? I don't think so".

Adam: "You and I know we need you out there but not like this".

Blaze: "You know I can still solve all of this. All I have to do is announce to the Lima nation who I am. I'm ready to fight the three Yamato warriors left for their territory who control Lima. When I defeat them, I'll take General Petrov's place and then I can put an end to this war".

Adam: "How can you even convince the people of Lima to back you up without being killed? Just because you were related to Petrov doesn't mean you're entitled to his role".

Blaze: "When I kill the Yamato, the people of Lima will follow me"

Adam: "The risk is too great".

Blaze: "I can do this I've been telling you for months".

Adam: "No Blaze, you and I both know the real reason why you'd drop all your duties here to travel to Lima."

Blaze: "Axel needs me, what if he's in trouble? We've heard nothing for weeks now!"

Adam: "He wouldn't want you to pursue this".

Blaze: "He needs us. Every day the soldiers they sent there are dying in their hundreds. I'm not giving up on him".

Adam: "If you leave Wood Oak City, you'll be disobeying your orders and there are consequences for it".

Blaze shakes her head: "No. Tim and Clark want to keep me here and use me as ransom against the Lima nations as insurance. The niece of General Petrov, the fact that I have power capable of destroying their enemies. I'm too valuable to Wood Oak City right now so they're holding me here can't you see that?"

Adam sighs. "Ok, I'll show you where it's clear tomorrow night, but on one condition".

Blaze: "Anything".

Adam: "This shit could blow up in our faces any day now when we'll lose this war. I need you to go to this address and find Keri and the kids to make sure they're safe. Take them with you and protect them if the city goes down. I'm bound to remain here right now."

Blaze: "Ok, you have my word"

Adam: "And I wont have your back next time!"

Blaze: "I understand. Meet me by the front gate tomorrow at 10".

* * *

 **Updates (in case you missed the previous three books - Beginnings; Rebirth; Path of a heroine)**

 _At the end of the last book, a war was declared over Wood Oak's territories by the Lima Nations in retaliation to the death of General Petrov, who was shot by Electra's fighters during a hostage exchange with Tim Murphy's wife._

 _As a result, Axel Stone has been sent to fight in a war zone whilst Adam and Blaze have remained stationed in Wood Oak City as acting police officers to protect any civilians._

 _Meanwhile Leon Shiva is still on the run after turning in Mr X to the authorities however no body is aware that Mr X is still alive after Wood Oak Police Department shot down who they thought was Mr X but was a decoy called Robot X._

 _Dr Zan has also distanced himself from the rest of the team after Blaze discovered he was the original founder of corporation RoboCy, who were taking innocent civilians against their own free will to do experiments to convert them into cyborgs to work for the syndicate._

 _As it stands, Neo Chaos still have control of the streets even though Wood Oak City is now a warzone, no where is safe._

 _Blaze managed to destroy most of the power that the syndicate stored from her chi after they captured her. This power would have been the source of several Rakushin bombs capable of wiping out Wood Oak City. One barrel of this stored enemy still remains after Mr X delivered it to the Yamato warriors. If it is not found, it will be cause destruction._

 _Although the authorities believe Mr X to be dead, he has used all of his power and influence behind the scenes to orchestrate a war between Wood Oak City and the Lima Nations._


	2. Chapter 2- City brawl

**Chapter 2**

"We have to keep moving, those spies must have informed the troops back there!" Shiva frantically says to Angelina as he carries Cesar who is now six years old in his arms across the sewage tunnel underneath some of Green District's residential streets. The three of them have been hiding there for the last five months under new identities. Since Shiva turned Mr X in to the authorities, he has been on the Syndicate's and Neo Chaos' radar as their number one wanted man. To make matters even more challenging, Angelina is currently 7 months pregnant with his child.

"Are you ok?" He catches his breath after they pass through a side door leading to another tunnel.

Angelina: "Just give me a minute that was a close one!" she replies as she breathes heavily.

Cesar: "daddy when are we going back home?"

Shiva looks down at Cesar with guilt in his eye. Ever since he met Angelina and her son he has always felt really close to them and having this family has completed him and has changed him significantly as a person.

Shiva: "I'm sorry kid, we can't go back there right now. Those men have taken our home".

Cesar: "When I grow up I want to be a fighter just like you so that they never hurt us again".

Shiva: "I never want you to have to fight. But if you do, remember everything I've taught you so far. Those kicks could do with some more work" he smiles then scuffles Cesar's hair.

"Did you hear that?" Angelina whispers startled after hearing a noise.

They anxiously look at each other as the door in front of them opens.

"Put your hands in the air where I can see them!" An officer wearing the brown Lima uniform shines a torch forward to their faces as he and three other officers point their guns towards Shiva and his family.

Shiva: "We mean no trouble"

Officer: "Where are you running away to then?" he asks as he takes a look at Shiva's ID.

Officer: "Take the child and the woman back to camp, this ID here is a fake he needs to be killed immediately."

Just as the officer finishes his sentence Shiva wipes out the other two officers using his chi from each hand in a glowing display of electrical current. This startles and blinds the lead officer in front of him and Shiva wastes no time in kicking him to the face and pinning him down to strangle him around his neck. In a matter of seconds the officer is dead.

Shiva: "I'm sorry you had to see that" he calmly says to Angelina and Cesar. "If this is what it takes to survive in this city, I'll protect you no matter what". Cesar runs over to him to give him a hug.

Angelina: "Take that uniform there, more enforcements will come shortly when they know these three are dead".

Shiva: "Good idea baby! Now let's get out of here!" 

* * *

Blaze waits anxiously just outside of the perimeter of the police base. In this particular spot at this time of night it is rare that someone will notice her as she has taken all of the precautions she can to exit the premises discretely. She glances at her watch- 22:08 to be exact thinking to herself 'where the hell is Adam right now?'

She readies her knife as she hears footsteps in the distance coming towards her across the grass.

"Sorry I'm late!" Adam comments as Blaze breathes a sigh of relief.

Blaze: "What took you so long?"

Adam: "Got held up by Tim. We don't have much time, right now the others are swapping in and out of base getting ready for night patrol. You will need this".

He hands over to hear a rucksack containing water, snacks, a map, torch, an address and cash.

Blaze: "Did you find it?"

Adam: "Yeah" he then pulls out a photograph of Blaze as a child next to her uncle and mother along with her birth certificate.

Blaze: "Thank you"

Adam: "It's a risk but you are less likely to be captured if you take the last five miles on foot through Wood Oak forest. Our officers are limited but are stationed on the south side of the lake all the way up to the source of Wood Oak River once you get out of Green District. Lima's officers are stationed North side. Stay on the high ground close to the lake, you will be able to see them coming from a mile away."

Blaze: "and what about after I reach Keri and the kids?"

Adam: "Sammy will take you to the harbour where Max will be waiting. The three of you will be smuggled into Lima. Oh and before I forget, take this". He hands over to her a packet of pills.

Blaze looks at him curiously.

Adam: "The pill in the bottom left corner is a tracker. Once you take it out it will automatically activate and you will need to swallow it."

Blaze: "Ok"

Adam smirks: "Courtesy of Luca"

Blaze: "I knew it!"

Adam: "Only take it if you are seriously in trouble or captured and I will know something is wrong. You can keep this in your body for up to half an hour before the outer layer dissolves otherwise it will be lethal".

Blaze nods and takes the packet "I'll call you when I make it out of the city"

Adam: "Be careful" he gives her a hug and watches her leave into the darkness of the open field and trees that surround their base. 

* * *

It doesn't take long for Blaze to reach the familiar inner city streets of Wood Oak City. What's left of a once thriving location is nothing but littered empty streets with looted buildings, broken glass and criminals around every street corner. Blood stains the pavements after several bomb hits during the past three months and with the Lima nation army surrounding the outskirts and closing in against the remaining police force and military stationed at home, many residents have tried to flee but have found themselves trapped within the city districts.

Cross street is still shining with its flickering neon lights as Blaze walks past a closed down arcade. She pauses in the middle of the street as she suspects that someone is following her.

Suddenly six signal fighters jump out from every direction to ambush her.

"Put your hands in the air lady!" one of them shouts as they form a circle around her but Blaze ignores his request.

"Don't make us hurt you.."

As he finishes his sentence she executes a round house kick, knocking him down to the floor before punching a second fighter and using her vertical slash signature move. A third fighter sweeps Blaze off her feet but she is quick to jump back up to cartwheel kick him and another fighter behind her. She knocks another one out with a flying kick to the head before burning two of the fighters by projecting her chi from each hand.

As she catches her breath the last signal runs behind her and throws her towards a parked car. Fortunately with all of her judo expertise, Blaze is able to safely land in front of the car without crashing into it but by now the pain on her wounded leg is taking its toll. As he returns to throw a punch, Blaze blocks his efforts and grapples him before slamming his face into the front of the car.

She catches her breath and wipes the blood off of her bleeding lip before escaping the scene as quickly as she can. Two blocks away and five miles since she started her journey, she spots one place that seems to be open at this time of night- 'Escape bar'. She fixes her jacket before walking down the steps into the loud bass and smoked out atmosphere of the bar. Something tells her that this journey is about to get a whole lot worse.


	3. Chapter 3- Lima

**Chapter 3**

Every morning in Lima is identical to yesterday- endless wild terrain, fogged out sunrises and the smell of ash from the nearby volcanic activity. The list of dead soldiers continues each day as the Lima nation's armies stand their ground outnumbering Wood Oak's forces.

During the last three weeks Jax and his regiment have been targeting General Petrov's headquarters where much of the planning and decisions regarding this war have been carried out. It is a complex that is heavily guarded but if the team succeed in capturing it, they will have a stronghold over Lima's capital. Since the death of General Petrov, the rest of Lima's military have been in charge leaving its citizens no choice but to comply with them.

Three months in Lima has taken its toll on many of the soldiers back at base with hunger, injury and disease amongst the camps outside. Every week, Wood Oak sends more soldiers, fewer each time where they have begun to feel desperate and have started recruiting citizens with ample combat experience.

Jax and Axel are two of the officers patrolling a nearby village this morning surrounding their base. Jax: "48 hours and we'll find out" he comments referring to the hit their soldiers are about to make on the military headquarters.

Axel: "We don't have enough fighters, we need more time".

Jax: "I've tried everything to buy us some time but we're running out of options! Every week they're sending fresh reinforcements out here who can't cut it and every week I'm sending back deceased messages home. This has gotta stop at some point, if we don't succeed with this mission we…"

Axel interrupts: "There has to be another way".

Jax: "When you find it, make sure I'm the first to know!"

The two of them stop on their path when they notice a couple of civilians congregating with some members of a local tribe with both parties looking distressed.

Jax: "Domestic disputes, not our problem!"

Axel ignores his friend and continues to walk towards them "bay'h'arta?" he asks what is wrong to one of the members of the tribe. The soldier's knowledge of the local languages spoken is limited as there is a varied mix amongst the tribes but he tries his best to learn a few words from the locals each day.

One of the civilians replies on behalf of the tribal member "his son is very sick, none of their remedies are helping".

The tribal member is an older man in his 60s who is incredibly thin but muscular and dark. His ear lobes hang low and his face can tell a thousand stories with its scars and markings across his neck. The tribal man responds to the local civilian in his own language.

"His son is very weak. The rats and infestations have spread a plague amongst their people because of the death of the General. Our people are being punished by the army here".

Jax and Axel glance at one another knowing that Lima's authorities are brainwashing their people and killing those who disobey.

Axel replies to the civilian: "Ask him to take me to his son".

Jax: "Are you crazy?"

"I know what I'm doing" Axel whispers to him.

After a brief conversation the tribal man responds. "Come! Follow!" He says to Axel as he leads him and one of the other civilians into the forest.

Jax: "radio me if you need anything and make sure your back at base in 2 hours! It could be a trap" he shouts towards Axel from a distance. 

* * *

The surroundings of the huts are tranquil and hidden away by the indigenous people who live on Lima's terrain that farm their own crops and rely heavily on the rain. Many of the local civilians and authorities pay little attention to them as they pose no threat. Often the tribes of Lima are regarded as a mysterious population with rituals including sacrifices that they offer to the stars and the ancient Yamato warriors who once harvested their lands.

"This way!" The civilian Axel now knows as 'Bob' orders him to follow them quickly into a small hut lit by an oil lamp in the centre.

In the middle of it is a young boy, aged around ten who is lying on the floor. Underneath a pile of leaves he is badly bleeding from his stomach. The room is surrounded by rose petals and the smell of incense dominates the air around them as a healing ritual.

Axel: "How long has the boy been like this?"

Bob replies: "at least five hours".

The child's body is frail and he has a severe fever.

Bob: "they think one of the local soldiers did this".

Axel unpacks his backpack to pull out some of his medical supplies "I have to take the bullet out and clear the wound. Run back to the village and find my other officer, he will give you more bandages than I have. This is gonna bleed out but we can't leave the bullet where it is as it could be puncturing his abdomen".

Bob nods: "Ok, give me twenty minutes".

In a matter of minutes, he manages to remove the bullet buried deep as carefully as possible to not cause any further damage. The boy cries out in agony before he is weakened further as he bleeds out. Axel does everything possible to put pressure on the wound to stop the bleeding until Bob returns with more supplies. They clean and wrap the wound as much as they can once the bleeding subsides.

Bob: "Is he going to be ok?"

Axel sighs: "There's a good chance he will survive. Just tell them to give him this pill twice a day to treat the infection. Our medic back at base will visit him in 12 hours with more supplies and to check on the wound".

The tribal leader nods as a thank you gesture with hope in his eyes as they leave the hut, relieved that his son will live to see another day. 

* * *

"I much prefer the views over Wood Oak City than this shit hole". Yasha remarks as she looks out at the endless jungle in the distance from one of Lima's capital buildings. Three square miles full of high rise buildings, mainly built for the purpose of medical and nuclear research makes up Lima's capital. The rest of it consists of forest and untouched terrain with villages and military bases scattered throughout.

"With General Petrov now dead, all of this is ours. It has always belonged to me". Mr X replies as he pours himself a glass of whiskey.

Yasha: "The world knows that Lima fell after its nuclear hit. There's nothing here, I don't understand why you care so much about this place? I left my sister to die so that I could gain Wood Oak City, not this!" She responds angrily.

Mr X: "I created General Petrov from what was once a ruthless gangster and he rebuilt everything you see around us. Lima will become more than what it is now, this will be my country, my nation!"

Yasha: "What a nation full of insane deformed people with their superstitious bullshit? Most of the people here don't even have an education to run a country. You think your cocaine production here is enough?"

In a fit of rage, Mr X throws his glass at the wall and grabs Yasha by the neck with one hand whilst holding his gun in the other as he presses it against her ribs. "Don't you ever insult my motive or my people!"

Yasha struggles to reply "without me, Neo Chaos will never follow you".

Mr X: "Wood Oak City is finished now and this here is the future. My mother was a Lima native and this place, this shit hole you speak of is in my blood!" He looks into her eyes with hate as he tightens his grip around her neck until Yasha is dead and collapsed in his arms.

Mr X: "Goodbye Yasha, I was always going to replace you. The people of this nation would never have accepted you as their queen." He calmly says as he stares down at her body without an ounce of emotion.

 _#Door knocks#_

Mr X: "Officer Chozan, what is it?"

"General, we have something we need to discuss right away" he salutes.

Mr X: "hmmm do your men need me to authorize Robot Y?"

Officer: "No, it's good news. We have learned of a planned attack the opposition are making on Wednesday morning".

Mr X: "Very good officer, let's discuss this further" he replies as he closes the door behind him.


	4. Chapter 4- Friend or foe?

**Chapter 4**

"Welcome to Escape Bar" a lady wearing a short dark dress with hair styled in a short black bob greets Blaze at the door.

"Follow me, we've been expecting you Miss Fielding". The club is dark and small with tables full of street thugs, prostitutes and dealers openly using their product. Without the police on their backs who are occupied with the war, more places like this are being raided by gang leaders from Neo Chaos claiming territory.

Some of the thugs in the club quickly recognise Blaze as she follows the other lady towards the back of the bar into another room.

Blaze: "So, where is your boss then?" she stands with her arms crossed.

"The boss requires you to wear this first. Oh and please hand over your knife" Two bodyguards then search Blaze's bag. The lady hands over to Blaze her red skirt, crop top, fighting gloves and boots. Blaze can't help but grin when she is reunited with her fighting gear 'Ow I've missed these' she says to herself after being bored of her plain black uniform.

Five minutes later and the lady is back. This time Blaze is changed and she follows her towards an underground cellar leading into a dark tunnel. At the end of it she shows Blaze a door "I can't take you any further than this".

Blaze anxiously pauses. What if this is a trap? What if they try to lock me in the next room? Where does it even lead to? Who does this even lead to and how did I get here?

All doubts stay on Blaze's mind as she opens the door at the end of the tunnel which has led to a small office with a desk and chairs at the centre.

"Blaze Fielding, what a pleasant surprise".

Blaze immediately recognises the voice of the woman who visited her in hospital from the government after she risked her life to save Wood Oak the first time.

"Kay Zhang, or should I call you Rudra Shiva? How did you even get hold of my stuff anyway?"

Rudra smiles and stands up, she seems changed in appearance. Instead of smart attire this time she is in her black shorts and crop top, black boots, fighting gloves with her long black hair tied back in a high ponytail. She points towards two boxes next to her desk containing some of Blaze's belongings.

Rudra: "The government gave me a warrant to raid Mr Hatchet's property when the war started. We collected many of your belongings just in case you needed any of this or in case your neighbourhood got hit".

Blaze angrily responds: "your government had no right! I know why you're keeping me here. You and the government are planning to use me as insurance against General Petrov's followers."

Rudra: "Now that would make a lot of sense and could even help us win the war. But you and I aren't all that different Blaze. Although we want this war to end, we also want the syndicate to end just as much".

Blaze: "Then why did you send your yakuza fighters after me?" Blaze glances at the TV monitor in the corner of the room displaying the streets outside where she was fighting several Signals half an hour ago.

Rudra: "In order to end this war, sometimes one must side with the enemy of our own enemy. Those fighters are loyal to my brother".

Blaze: "Even after he turned in his boss?"

Rudra gives her a menacing stare back "what makes you so sure about that?"

Blaze: "Why else would he be on the run from the syndicate? Thankfully Mr X is dead now because your brothers a rat. What I am still trying to figure out is which side you are really on".

Rudra: "What if I told you Mr X was still alive and that he planned this war".

Blaze: "Cut the bullshit! I was told to come here because my friends and I need to be smuggled to Lima on one of your boats. Can you arrange that or not?"

Rudra: "He's in Lima and has orchestrated this whole war".

Blaze: "Where is your proof of this? Mr X has been dead for months now!"

Out of the darkness and from around the corner to Blaze's surprise Shiva steps forward.

Shiva: "Before I turned Mr X in I planted a bug inside one of his spare cell phones to monitor his activity."

Blaze raises her guard into a fighting stance as soon as he steps forward.

Shiva: "you wish to fight me Blaze?"

Blaze: "You're a murderer just like the rest of the syndicate and your sister here is a liar".

He places a device on the desk and plays it. As soon as Blaze hears the recording, she lowers her guard out of her fighting stance.

Shiva: "I knew something was wrong when more recordings came through this device as Mr X continued to use his phone on several occasions. The person the police killed was a decoy".

The three of them listen carefully to several recordings.

 _Electra: "It's me. We still suspect Leon gave you up to the feds"_

 _Mr X: "Find him immediately and bring him and his new family to me. This is your number one priority now"._

Blaze looks anxiously at Shiva as he plays another recording of Mr X talking to one of General Petrov's associates.

 _Mr X: "Now that General Petrov has been killed on Wood Oak's soil, we have every right to strike back. I give Lima the order to launch long range missile K-10 with the target of Wood Oak City. Tomorrow morning we declare war! Have your troops readied for further attacks before we send them there."_

 _Officer: "Yes General"._

Blaze responds in shock. "I have to go, I have to warn the others. How? How long have you known he's still alive?"

Shiva shakes his head "3 months now ever since the first attack. My family and I have been on the run all this time when Axel helped us flee Wood Oak, set up new identities for us but after the first attack everything fell apart".

Blaze: "Axel has always been your sworn enemy, why would he help you?"

Shiva: "Because I made a deal with him to either give Mr X up to the feds or kill him."

Blaze: "Why would you suddenly turn against your boss? It makes no sense."

Shiva: "For months I despised the way he was running the syndicate. He ordered me to murder Don Melendez and his family after he sided with you and captured Raven. I went to Mexico and killed the don. Several days later X tracked down the don's two children, twins. They must have been around 10 years old. He bought them back to Wood Oak City and ordered me to kill them there and then in front of Electra and Tiger using my chi. I refused to do it so he shot them."

Blaze: "Mr X has always murdered innocent children, he killed my brother and sister there's nothing new there."

Shiva: "I admit it I've killed fighters and gangsters in the past but that's not me, not innocent children. Having one in my life and a family changed everything".

Blaze: "So why are you hiding here with your sister? You should be out there with the other soldiers fighting for our freedom, trying to find that murderer!"

Shiva: "Everyone knows our army is outnumbered. We need your help in persuading the people of Lima to follow you, the niece of General Petrov. Can you still use your chi?"

She walks forward holds up her palm underneath Shiva's chin "After all those experiments your friend Dr Dahm put me through, shall we test it?"

Shiva takes a deep breath and locks eyes with her.

Rudra: "Enough of this! We have work to do to smuggle her there with us".

Blaze: "I'm not working with you two".

Shiva: "Without me you have no access to even getting close to the Yamato. If you want the people of Lima to follow you, you'll have to convince the Yamato first to side with you. With their backing, they'll turn against Mr X and Lima will be yours for the taking".

Blaze: "I don't want Lima! Besides I'm a sworn enemy of your masters, this is too likely to be a trap".

Shiva: "If that were true don't you think I would have already kidnapped you myself and taken you to their temple when you were weak and imprisoned by the syndicate?"

Rudra: "He's your only option Blaze if you want to save your city and your friends".

Shiva: "I know you don't trust me but I saved your life once and right now I don't see any other option".

Blaze: "This is a trap, I know it".

Shiva: "Ok Blaze, the door is open. Walk away and save yourself".

As she turns around to walk towards the door, she notices Angelina with tears in her eyes where she has now lost all hope.

"Who is this?" Blaze asks.

"His pregnant wife" Rudra replies.

"So you have a family then" Blaze turns to Shiva, shocked in her tone.

Shiva: "Yes. And I'll do everything in my power to save them but I need your help. You can't face this alone! If you walk away, you'll never get justice for your family, for yourself!"

Blaze: "Wow! Shiva I was starting think you were becoming concerned about me, but I'm good."

Shiva: "Why are you so stubborn?! I was there all that time you were held captive. I had many opportunities to kill you believe me I wanted to. But I practically freed you from that place after I stopped Jet and his men when Mr X gave them the order to rape you. And you still think I am your enemy?"

Blaze: "You never stopped him though did you? You stood by just like you stood by every day they took away my power".

Shiva: "I did everything I could".

Angelina hands over Blaze's knife to her. "I know you've suffered, you have every right to be angry. But if we don't act together my children won't have a world to grow up in. Take this knife I'm coming with you".

Shiva: "What? No way you're staying here back at the safe house!"

Angelina: "No, I have to do this." She turns back to Blaze who is now holding the knife. "If he betrays you on this journey then you have every right to kill me along with his child".

Blaze: "You're putting yourself in a dangerous position".

Angelina: "If this is what it takes for you to trust him and for us to end this war then I have to".

Blaze places the knife on the desk. "Ok, I'll work with you. We'll leave in the morning for the docks but first I need you to take me to this address". She hands over the piece of paper that Adam gave her to Rudra.


	5. Chapter 5- Loyalty

**Chapter 5**

Blaze sits alone in the office on the floor next to the two boxes containing some of her belongings. She delves through the contents including old photos, her first police badge and a couple of trophies and medals she won from her dancing competitions. All of these bring back good and painful memories as she spots the newspaper articles she collected over the years concerning her parent's death. Last but not least the small box containing the earrings that Axel gave her last Christmas.

She stares down at them in her hand, thinking back to the last time she saw him the morning after Adam's wedding. Saying goodbye to Axel again was the hardest thing.

Her thoughts are quickly interrupted as Angelina enters the room "thought you could do with some coffee before the six hour journey" she hands over to Blaze a mug.

Blaze: "Thanks, I'm not really a coffee drinker but I guess it will do".

Angelina: "Those look pretty". As she glances at the earrings as Blaze hastily closes her palm and places them back in the box then into her jacket pocket.

Angelina: "Your man was good to us when we needed to escape from Mr X. He got us to the safe house your friend Keri was staying in after the others rescued Adam. Axel also made sure Leon, my son and I got away from the city."

Blaze: "He's not my man and you shouldn't have volunteered to come with us to Lima. You're risking everything including your baby".

Angelina: "You gave me no choice! It's not safe here anyway".

Blaze: "you don't know me, what I'm capable of. Everyone close to me always suffers".

Angelina: "I am truly sorry for everything you've been through".

Blaze: "Thank you" she quietly says.

The peace in the room is disturbed as Rudra walks in with several weapons and ammunition belts that she throws down on the table. "Take your pick ladies, it's going to be a long 24 hours". 

* * *

The journey towards the outskirts of the city takes longer than usual as many of the roads remain blocked off from previous explosions and collapsed buildings. Because Blaze has been stationed in one part of the city over the last three months, she hasn't yet seen the full extent of the damage caused by nightly airstrikes.

It is 12pm but fortunately so far today during the journey no one has bothered them nor have they stopped the car that Blaze and the others are in due to the declining police numbers. This does not mean that the group should keep their guard down as Lima officers could be around to ambush them at any moment.

"Mommy, when are we gonna eat?" Cesar tiredly asks his mother in the back of the car where he is sat between Blaze and Angelina. Angelina gives Shiva a glance from the back seat through his driver's mirror.

Shortly afterwards the car is stopped at a local checkpoint. As they approach the barrier they notice something suspicious.

Rudra: "Those are no regular officers!" She readies her gun underneath her passenger seat.

Shiva: "Shit! Looks like Lima's forces have taken over the next region".

He has no choice but to slow down and stop the car in front of a gated barrier whilst four officers point their guns towards each window.

"What are we gonna do?" Rudra asks.

Blaze: "Stay calm, we'l handle this".

"We need you and your passengers to step out of the car with your hands up" the officer demands.

"Stay close to me" Angelina quietly says to Cesar as the five of them exit the car and stand in line.

The officer in charge orders his men to search the group and the car for weapons and ID.

Shiva and Blaze glance at one another, both ready to strike at any moment.

"Sir we've found a whole arsenal of weapons under the seats and in the trunk" the officer reports.

"We have no choice but to execute them immediately!" The lead officer insists.

They are grabbed by the arms and forced to walk forward towards the trees off the highway. Shiva gives Blaze a nod and the two of them simultaneously strike down two of the officers using their chi in a flash of bright lights and electrical current.

Rudra then backs into the third officer and throws him over her shoulder. He sweeps her off the ground as the two of them fight on the floor and roll down towards the trees with his gun lying less than a metre away. As the officer gets back up to grab the gun, Rudra pulls him back and punches him on the side of the head. He retaliates by pinning her down on the floor and wrapping his hands around her neck to strangle her. She does everything possible to attack his face but he still has the upper hand.

 _#Bang#_

Rudra notices blood on her neck straight away. She then looks up and realises that Blaze is holding the gun and has shot the officer in the head.

"Thanks" she acknowledges.

Meanwhile closer to the road the lead officer has his arm around Cesar with his gun in the other hand.

Shiva: "Let the kid go, it's me the syndicate want. I can make this easier for you". It is a hard situation because if Shiva or Blaze use their chi on him or try to shoot, the risk of Cesar being shot is too high.

"I order you to let him go!"

The officer turns around the find Blaze standing there with her gun behind him.

"You order me?" the officer laughs.

Blaze: "Show him this" she hands over to Rudra her birth certificate along with a photograph.

"You knew the General?" he questions.

Blaze: "yes, he was my uncle which makes me heir to his state and assets. I've left copies of this certificate and photograph with others so if anything happens to me or these people, it won't be pretty when you return to Lima".

He pauses then lowers his gun and pushes Cesar towards his mother.

Blaze: "Now are you going to open that barrier or not officer?"

Reluctantly he types in a code and the gates open out to a clear highway. As the group get back into the car Blaze shoots him in the head.

Rudra: "You are one badass you know that?"

Blaze: "he would have reported us to his colleagues further down the line who would have captured us. We can't rely on this document to always work, I took a gamble there as he was outnumbered."

Shiva: "She's right. Sooner or later when those dead officers are discovered more will come looking for us. We need to keep moving."

Blaze: "Their officers are stationed North of Wood Oak river. This means we need to travel the last five miles or so on foot through the forest before we reach the coast. There will be more checkpoints otherwise".

Shiva: "How far are we from that address?"

Blaze: "I'd say we're eight miles from there. Take this kid!" She hands over to him a candy bar.

Angelina whispers to her as Cesar eats, still shaken and quiet. "You saved his life, thank you" she acknowledges. 

* * *

Almost mid-afternoon and they have made it safely to the address that Adam gave Blaze. Shiva parks the car in a woodland area just outside of the city higher up in altitude. They are surrounded by quiet forest with no one likely to be around for miles.

"Why do I get the feeling someone is pointing a gun at us?" Shiva asks Blaze.

Blaze: "Because they can probably see you coming from a mile away!" She raises her two hands and makes a waving gesture. "Max will have his binoculars on us, they can see anyone coming off of that road all the way to the beginning of the forest".

"Great!" Shiva responds unenthusiastically.

"Whose Max?" Rudra questions "I thought this safe house was for us!"

Blaze: "You'll see, and yeah it's for us and my friends too! Adam's put a lot on the line letting me go from the police force without a trace, the least I can do is keep his family safe for now".

The logged cabin comes into view as they walk closer to it.

"Yo Blaze what the fuck is he doing here?" Max questions with his gun pointing at Shiva.

"You gonna put that gun away or are we going to have to fight?" Rudra questions.

Max: "And who is she?" He asks feeling surprised.

Blaze: "Max it's ok, they're working with us!" He lowers his gun when he notices Angelina and Cesar

Walking behind them.

Max: "I guess they'd better come in. My girlfriends a doctor in case you need to talk to her" he looks at Angelina who is heavily pregnant and now exhausted from the journey.

Shiva: "Thanks man!" He taps him patronisingly over the shoulder.

The cabin looks old and empty as if no one has visited it in decades.

Max: "Excuse the mess and the spider webs this is just for show".

He opens a door containing a couple of steps that lead down into a large basement converted into a living space with one shower room, a small kitchen and a living area with four mattresses scattered on the floor with bed sheets.

Keri is the first person to run towards the group and she is very happy to see Blaze and Angelina. Rudra stands guarded and unsure of the situation but she is relieved that they are somewhere secure for now.

"How is Adam?" Keri queries.

Blaze: "Adam is good, he and Tim are working really hard and are doing everything they can. Where's Sammy?" She looks around feeling concerned.

Keri: "He's gone to loot out supplies and more food for us"

Blaze: "On his own?!" she angrily replies and glares at Max.

Keri: "Sammy is ok, how many times has he run the streets by himself?"

Blaze: "this is different, those soldiers have guns and bombs! I'm so disappointed in you both".

Max quietly pulls her to one side in the kitchen "and you think it's ok bringing Shiva and Miss Kill Bill (referring to Rudra) here where Adam's kids are sleeping?"

Blaze: "I told you, they're working for me!"

Max shakes his head "you need to watch your back Blaze, they'll turn on you in a split second".

She walks towards the door.

Keri: "Where are you going?"

Blaze: "I'm going to find Sammy!" Just as she reaches the door back up to the house they hear a noise before Sammy opens it from the other side.

He enthusiastically greets everyone. "What ya'll doing? This time I found lots of rice and oatmeal at one of the stores. This will keep us going for days!"

Keri: "Thank you Sammy".

Max: "Great work!"

Blaze: "Do you wanna get yourself killed? Next time go with someone".

Sammy: "I'm not a kid anymore Blaze you can't tell me what to do!"

Blaze: "Believe me, Lima's soldiers wont give a shit whether you're a kid or not!" She glances at Cesar who is still shaken from earlier.

Sammy ignores her and walks away playing with his phone "whatever!"

Rudra confronts a pissed off Blaze "so what now then?"

Blaze: "eat and rest, we wait here for now. It's gonna be sundown soon in three hours so once it's dark we can leave and get through the forest on foot. They'll only be able to spot us using their drones so we need to be extra vigilant and split up".

Rudra: "We should leave Angelina and the kids here".

Blaze: "I agree. I think you should stay and help guard this place. Once Leon and I reach Lima and find one of the Yamato temples, they'll only be interested in him and me. You have no chi anyone else who steps foot their way will be a liability".

Rudra: "Sure, whatever you think is best" she grins. "It's extraordinary".

Blaze: "what?"

Rudra: "24 hours ago you came to us seeking clarity after Adam told you where we were stationed. Now it's us who are following you, the sign of a true leader".

Blaze: "don't get too comfortable, there's still a long way to go until we win this war. I'm as loyal to our side as it gets!"

Rudra: "I'm sure you are" she raises her eyebrows and folds her arms as Blaze walks away from her.


	6. Chapter 6- Warzone

**Chapter 6**

The morning sunrise is stunning over the hills of Lima. From the distance the soldiers can see the four square miles of heavily guarded buildings and skyscrapers at the forefront of Lima's capital and government that tower above the rest of it's population beyond them.

You don't have to look far to find the ruins of old houses and schools, the ghost towns and villages close to the capital that were harshly bombed with radiation and war decades ago. Even now, a small amount of radiation still exists and many of the people that live beyond Lima's city walls on the other side have genetic defects as a result. They're population and government have always been a secret nation. One side of the country is bare with it's miles of terrain and indigenous people whilst the other side beyond the city walls is full of civilians that follow their own codes and sacred traditions.

Jax and his men are one of the groups surrounding the capital city from one side that are waiting for clearance to move forward.

"We've waited weeks to find that air base. Today we either win or we lose" he says to Axel.

They anxiously look over the hills and patiently wait. It is not long before they witness several fighter jets flying over them that successfully bomb a nearby airbase.

Jax: "Move move move lets go!"

Their tankers push forward towards the city to attack wherever necessary. Now that the main air base guarding the entrance to the city has been bombed by the jets, all that's left are any officers stationed within the city as well as any who have survived the bombings.

It's the first time they have stepped foot on Lima's capital city. Jax looks around at the set of tall skyscrapers and empty streets that sit in the middle of nowhere. "This is place sure looks like hell on earth!" he comments. "It's quiet but we still need to keep our guards up" he orders the other officers.

Axel takes a good look at the monument in front of them with the statue of an old Yamato warrior. "What does it say?" Jax asks curiously whilst noticing the foreign writing underneath it.

Axel: "It says _'Yamato Otamo, ruler of Lima who was sent back to the stars at the entrance of this great city on the day of our revolution. Let us never forget who we are and what it means to be free'."_

Jax examines the statue "this place gets stranger by the minute!"

Their team cautiously make their way to the main governmental building with no doubt that more of Lima's soldiers will be situated there. As they turn the corner from one of the buildings, several open fire towards them before they quickly take cover in a shoot out.

They successfully manage to shoot any of Lima's remaining officers on that street before more of their soldiers arrive as back up.

Jax: "Keep guard here with the others, I'm taking 20 of us into the governmental building!" he orders.

It is not long before the team reach Lima's most iconic building which stands 300m tall with over 50 floors of offices. Axel places a small grenade in front of it's locked gates to bust open the entrance before the team cautiously storm into the building.

The entire ground floor is in darkness and empty with papers scattered everywhere.

Jax: "anyone who works here must be in the shelters. Check every floor" he orders.

Even after 15 minutes of scanning the building and finding key documents that once belonged to General Petrov, any civilians and government officials still seem to be in hiding.

Jax questions Axel as they continue to search the 26th floor "Where the hell is everyone? The bombs have stopped they can't still be in shelters could they?"

Axel: "I don't know, somethings not right. How many officers were stationed at that air base?"

Jax: "At least 50. The rest would have been on the streets".

Axel: "Exactly! And we've seen about 20 so far since sunrise". He looks down at his watch- it's almost 8:30am.

Jax: "I'll radio to the others, it's likely they've fled north on the other side of the capital. Without a leader they are weak on their own soil". He excitedly pulls out a filing cabinet "bingo! We've found what we were after! Yes!"

He carefully inspects the files that once belonged to the General. These were kept as top secret and contain valuable information including his own chain of command, the location of any nukes, funds and political controls.

Axel shakes his head "for years the people of Lima fought for this land. It doesn't make sense not a single civilian is fighting for it"

Jax: "You know how it is, with those airstrikes they're powerless".

Axel: "Unless…" he pauses.

Jax: "Unless what?" He asks worriedly.

Axel: "Radio to all officers to back away right now and take cover immediately!"

Jax: "You sound like you're in charge all of a sudden.."

Axel: "Just do it! It's a trap! We need to get out of here and go back".

Jax: "Are you listening to yourself?"  
Axel: "Just do it!" He responds with urgency.

Reluctantly Jax reaches for his radio. As Axel looks out the glass window towards the burning air base in the distance, the sound of engines draw closer and closer "TAKE COVER NOW!" He immediately jumps behind a desk as an array of bullets fire into the windows of the building.

Jax: "Those fuckers in that chopper know our soldiers are in here! We can shoot it down from here!" He starts setting up his bazooka.

Axel: "It's not the chopper I'm worried about! We have to get out of here, this whole place is a trap!"

The two of them avoid the bullets coming through the broken windows as they run towards the stairwell of the building along with other soldiers who are trying to escape. They find a wounded soldier lying on the stairwell who Jax and Axel help up off the floor and down the stairs.

Three minutes later and the three of them almost reach the exit of the building when they hear a loud explosion that causes the pillars around them to collapse with debris falling from above. Around them is instant darkness as the impact causes them to fall to the ground. All they can hear right now are the sounds of the fire alarm in the building and further explosions taking place outside. It appears that the exit out of the building is now blocked off by fallen panels and rubble.

The seconds that pass by feel like hours when Axel opens his eyes and realises that they are trapped inside the building. With blood dripping down his face and feeling disorientated, he gets up to his feet to take a look for any other survivors. The other soldier who was with them now lies dead on the ground after debris hit his head.

Axel frantically scans around the dark space: "Jax? Where are you? Jax?!"

Out of the corner of his eye he then notices an arm resting on a metal board.

"Jax? It's ok I'm gonna get you out!" He uses all of his strength to remove the panel that is crushing his friend.

"I think I've found a way out" Axel says before he notices Jax heavily bleeding with a small metal shard stuck in his thigh.

"Go, take these documents and go get out of here! That's an order!" Jax painfully responds.

"I'm not standing here and arguing with you!" Axel replies. He walks towards a wall and uses his dragon wing and chi to blast a hole through it before he kicks and punches down more of the wall to create an exit.

"Impressive! But now your uniform is screwed" Jax jokes "nice knowing you Ax, take the documents from my bag, I'm not gonna make it out of here".

Axel: "I said I'm not arguing with you!" He carefully puts his friend's arm around his neck to support him as he helps him up off the ground.

Axel: "We have to get out of here before they strike again! The building could collapse at any moment and more troops will be coming!"

Jax nods as he limps next to Axel.

As soon as they're out on the streets they notice more Lima soldiers that Axel shoots right away.

Jax: "Look out! There's more around that corner!"

The two of them take cover behind the corner as they watch a parade of officers pass by.

"You were right about this being a trap, how could it have been so easy!" Jax frustratingly comments.

Axel: "Never mind about that. We need to head back down South towards the terrain." He removes his jacket and ties it tightly around Jax's leg to help stop the bleeding before they try to escape the capital. Many of the soldiers who came with them to this mission are now dead and lying on the pavements either shot from above or killed as a result of the bombings. Whatever happens now, even if they do make it out of the city it is clear that Wood Oak has suffered an enormous loss today with no other survivors.


	7. Chapter 7- Defeat

**Chapter 7**

The helicopter carrying Mr X and officer Chozan lands carefully on top of one of the buildings in Lima's capital. The small four miles around them make it easy to see the damage caused by enemy bombs to the old decoy airbase that Mr X had evacuated when he learnt of the plans of today's attacks.

"How many casualties on our side were there today?" He questions his officer.

"At least forty of our soldiers. The rest of our army and air force were stationed elsewhere north of the city with our civilians where the enemies could not reach. The decoy and evacuation process was therefore successful as far as we're concerned".

Mr X: "Good work. Most of their soldiers part of this attack are now dead or captured. Now is the time for us to strike Wood Oak City harder than ever before. From now on you are the main general" he takes out his cigar and lights it.

Chozan: "Thank you sir".

Mr X: "Double the airstrikes on Wood Oak and any surrounding cities. Even with other regions and allies of Wood Oak involved it will be too late to stop us. We already have too much nuclear capability to wipe them out."

Chozan: "And what do we do with any civilians who oppose their influence here at Lima?"

Mr X: "Kill them" he bluntly says. "And start the repairs on our damaged infrastructure and buildings immediately. We still have a long way to go from everything that General Petrov started here but it's clear we have won this war".

Chozan: "yes sir. Is there anything else?"

Mr X: "a group of my associates will be arriving tonight via ship led by Electra. See to it that they get to me safely and comfortably".

His general salutes him.

Mr X: "12 midday right now here means it's 1am in Wood Oak City. Give the all clear right away to those in the air to proceed with our attacks over the next four hours. They'll be expecting a retaliation any time now with more of our soldiers on the way to take control of the area. Wood Oak will fall then it will be ours whilst Lima thrives once again".

Chozan: "I will make my way to base right away to Dr Dahm".

Mr X: "I will accompany the soldiers on their way to the South. We must inspect the rest of the terrain in Lima for any soldiers or bases they have left". 

* * *

The midday heat is starting to take its toll on Axel and Jax who have been struggling to get as far away as possible from Lima City on foot. Unfortunately their base has been hit so they have to find help elsewhere otherwise they are two dead men. It could be hours or even days until they find a way out of Lima. With Jax struggling to walk with a shard in his leg, if they don't get medical help right away the infection or bleeding will kill him. Axel's head is also still bleeding after being hit during the explosion earlier.

Around them are miles of fields and rocks scattered on open land and mountains. The two of them stop to catch their breaths and to have any water they have left next to some shade from the mountains.

"The sea lies over those hills over there we can make it" Axel optimistically says.

Jax: "Give me half an hour just to rest in the shade".

Axel: "Ok, but we have to keep moving more troops will come looking for us soon but for now it's clear."

Jax: "That was another lucky escape thanks to you!" He smiles as he rests his head against a rock whilst Axel takes a look at his wound.

Axel: "It's better not to try and take this out just yet".

Jax: "I know. Hey can I ask you something?"

Axel: "Sure"

Jax: "There use to be this rumour from some of the guys back in your old regiment. They said you burned down everyone using your fire one day, is it true?"

Axel sighs "I've done some things I'm not proud of but I did what I had to do. Quit talking and get some rest I'll keep watch in case anyone gets close".

Jax: "Despite what everyone says about you, you're still a great soldier".

Axel gives him a brief smile before climbing higher up the hill to take cover and stay on the lookout. 

* * *

At least an hour has passed and things still seem to be clear on this side with no troops in sight but exhaustion, dehydration and fatigue have now kicked in when Axel realises he must have zoned out then woken up. By now the air around them seems to be cooler with a light breeze as he gets up off the ground and climbs back down some rocks to wake up his friend.

Axel: "Quit snoozing we need to leave now!... Jax?... hey man wake up!"

He pauses in shock when he realises his friend is now dead.

It takes half an hour to carry the body to the top of this particular hill that marks the beginning of a large forest and endless mountainous regions with the sea not even in sight yet. He lays him on the ground and removes his dog tags as well as the documents Jax was carrying in his backpack.

"Rest in peace friend" he says before setting Jax's body alight.

Walking away and carrying on over this harsh region is difficult and painful for Axel. Mountain after mountain and endless terrain with no one around, every passing minute is more and more challenging with the pain from his head worsening as time goes by plus nightfall is approaching. He knows that he needs to keep moving and the enemy is not far behind so he perseveres step by step as far as possible until exhaustion wins and he collapses on the cold grass below him. Little does he know but some of Lima's troops are now within a three mile radius drawing in closer, likely to find him if he doesn't get back up. 

* * *

In Wood Oak City so far tonight Shiva, Rudra, Angelina and Blaze have been forced to stay at the safe house with Max and the others since the airstrikes over Wood Oak City started. Tonight is different to any other with the bombs more frequently exploding further towards the outskirts of the city close to the forest that they are staying in.

The group lie awake in darkness underground, sitting on edge and terrified of the noise outside from the explosion.

"Mommy are those bombs gonna explode here?" Sasha questions as Keri holds onto her tight whilst they sit against the wall.

"Wait do you hear that?" Shiva questions Max.

Max: "Yeah sounds like someone is trying to get in from outside, we'd better check it out. Wait here" he says to the rest of the group.

Shiva and Max cautiously make their way up the steps and into the front room of the old house in the darkness as they hear someone knocking on the door amongst the explosions happening over the city in the distance.

"Max it's me open up!"

Max gives Shiva a nod as the two of them lower their weapons to open the door.

"Adam! What are you doing here?" Max questions

"I'd ask him the same thing" he glares at Shiva.

Shiva: "When my sister sent out her call for help to your police, you were the one who sent Blaze to us".

Adam: "yeah and that was a risk"

Shiva: "paid off then!" he comments

Adam: "Still, didn't expect you to be alive" they lock eyes as they cross paths.

"Daddy daddy!" Sasha excitedly jumps up to hug Adam who is now dressed in plain clothes – black jeans, yellow t-shirt and dark hooded jacket. He also greets Keri and baby Christopher.

"Why are you back here?" Sammy questions his brother as they bro shake.

Adam: "I'm sorry I'm late! I tried to get here as quickly as I could before the bombs started. We knew our offices and possibly our base were at risk of being hit and they were! We have to get out of here as far away from the city as possible, more troops are coming".

Blaze: "Get as far away as possible with the kids and Angelina. Shiva, Rudra, Max, Sammy and I will leave for Lima in the morning I found a way we can end this war".

Rudra interrupts: "wait! How did you know more airstrikes and troops were coming?"

Adam shakes his head "my superiors dismissed me, told me there won't be a city left by dawn and that all we can do is try to flee and be with our families."

Rudra: "The government sent 100 more soldiers yesterday and we still have almost 1000 stationed in Lima fighting this war".

Adam shakes his head "we've lost the war now. The attack a few hours ago on Lima's capital turned out the be an ambush. We waited for contact but the majority of officers have been reported dead. Any still left wont make it out of Lima".

Blaze turns to Shiva "that's why we have to go, anyone left over there needs us! Once we take control of Lima everything will…"

Adam interrupts her "Jax's regiment were reported amongst those who were ambushed and killed. I'm so sorry Blaze".

She shakes her head at him refusing to believe it. "No, no. No way, Axel is not dead I know he's not dead".

Adam: "They're entire base was also destroyed. Even if he survived there's no way out for him. One man against a whole army and a whole open region. There's no chance he would…"

Blaze: "He can't be dead, I would know!"

Adam: "I hope your right" he says with regret.

Blaze ignores him and opens the door to walk upstairs.

Keri: "Where are you going? It's not safe up there".

Blaze: "Get out the way" she orders "I'm not going far". Keri sighs and gives in.

Max tries to follow but Adam stops him "give her some space".


	8. Chapter 8- Survival

**Chapter 8**

 _Wood Oak Cemetery has never looked so peaceful. The Autumn breeze and late sunset gives the sky an orange glow beyond the trees. Axel kneels down and places a set of white roses on his parents' gravestone as he breathes in the fresh air and remembers them._

 _When he looks up he is shocked to see an open patch about 10 metres away further down the line with a gravestone already in place. A woman in a long black dress and gloves stands in front of it sombre and still. Her eyes are covered with a netted black veil._

 _She turns from the distance to face him for a moment then walks away with her long brown hair and silk dress blowing in the wind._

" _Blaze?! Blaze wait it's me!" He runs after her then takes a look at the gravestone she was standing next to a few seconds ago. It's haunting when he realises the gravestone bears the name 'A. H Stone'._

 _He takes it all in then follows her out of the cemetery. It's as if the streets of Wood Oak City stood still and defied time. Those graffiti colourful walls next to the skateboarding parks and the long metal gates that surround abandoned factories and smoked out trash cans are a familiar site except there is no one around. Nothing but a ghost town._

 _He catches Blaze next to one of the walls looking out into the sunset._

 _She seems startled when he takes her hand. She looks down then up at his face with her grey eyes, now without the veil. The look on her face is one of sadness but at the same time she is happy to see him._

 _Suddenly the atmosphere changes and Axel is back where he was lying on the ground in the middle of no where. The only thing that has remained is the sun where then greenery of the terrain surrounding him is a blur as his eyes struggle to open._

" _You have to survive! You have to get up now before all of that becomes a reality". He vaguely sees Blaze kneeling down next to him in flashbacks, blocking the sun but her voice is as clear as day with urgency._

" _They're nearby right now! You have to find the strength to get up. Please wake up!" she pleads._

In a split second Axel opens his eyes. He is alert as ever as he scans his surroundings which remain the same as earlier when he collapsed here. Blaze is now gone and his unforgiving reality is now Lima. The sound of tanks and soldiers close by is prominent so he does his best to quickly get up to his feet and make it out of the open to somewhere he can take cover. The pain in his head and disorientation is still a problem as he struggles to flee the area. Her words 'you have to survive' and the sight of the gravestone dominate his thoughts. There is no other way, even in his weakest moment Axel must go on. 

* * *

"Holy shit!" Sammy is startled as he finishes climbing up the side of the house to the roof where Blaze has been sitting with her palms open and her chi alight above each hand. It is surprising that she could sit there in a meditative state with her eyes closed and calm as explosions continue to light up the sky over the city in the distance.

His presence takes her out of that state where she immediately opens her eyes whilst the electric current above her hands cuts out.

"I'm sorry! I was worried about you" he apologises.

Blaze: "I saw him, he's not dead!" she responds.

Sammy: "Who Axel?"

Blaze nods "we have to leave for Lima as soon as possible and fight for what's ours. If we flee and we don't fight they'll be nothing left here. He needs our help".

Sammy: "How? How did you…?"

Blaze: "I don't know but I know I'm not just dreaming anymore". 

* * *

Mr X and his soldiers scan the next area where Axel was laying down just moments ago.

"Seems to be clear right now with no more soldiers in sight" one of his officers update him.

"And what about Electra and her team? Have they arrived yet?" Mr X questions him.

"Yes, her ship came in about 20 minutes ago. Do you want us to take you back or shall we keep searching?"

Mr X: "Nothing is left here but empty land and mountains. No one would survive beyond that terrain especially when the temperature drops tonight. Let's get back to the city before sundown".

Just as they leave, he notices some blood on the ground.

"Everything ok sir?" The officer questions.

Mr X: "For now. Keep six of your officers posted here tonight just in case we have missed anyone" he says with suspicion before they leave the area. 

* * *

"Go West with Max, Adam and the kids to safety, it is too dangerous for you to come with us" Rudra pleads with Angelina.

"She's right" Shiva says "I don't want you or the baby harmed, it's going to be a long journey to Lima".

"What about our deal?" Blaze interrupts.

"You still don't trust me do you?" Shiva replies.

Blaze: "The only things I trust are my instincts, besides no where is that safe really is it?"

Shiva: "ok. But Cesar goes to the safe house with the others".

Blaze: "Sure" she replies as she sharpens her knife.

Eliza: "then I'm coming with you!"

"What are you talking about?" Blaze says, surprised by her comment.

Eliza: "She's about to pop that bun out of the oven any day soon. I don't suppose any of you are qualified doctors are you? Or know how to deliver a baby?"

Blaze, Rudra and Shiva all look at each other awkwardly.

Eliza: "thought so!"

Max: "I'm coming with you then".

Sammy: "So am I!"

Adam: "your coming with me, Keri and the kids to safety. Don't even think about arguing with me boy! We're done fighting this war, now it's time to move on while we can".

Sammy shakes his head and stands next to Blaze "tell him will you."

Adam: "Tell me what?"

Blaze: "Let's go outside and talk while the others say goodbye".

They step outside into the forest daylight while it is tranquil as the bombs from last night have stopped for now like the calm before the storm.

Blaze: "He's made up his mind, he's coming with me".

Adam: "While Shiva and Rudra travel with you? Over my dead body!"

Blaze: "Sammy's not a child anymore, in fact he's a great fighter. Just because you've stopped fighting alongside us doesn't mean he should follow you. He has his own journey to follow. Max and I will take care of him, trust me. Remember you'll have Cesar with you as well, Shiva won't hurt Sammy".

Adam sighs "ok. Once I get to safety with Keri and the kids I'll come looking for you. Remember you have that tracker if you need it and help will be on hand".

Blaze smiles: "I know" she taps his shoulder then walks away towards one of the cars.

Adam shouts out: "Blaze?"

"Yeah?" she turns around.

Adam: "I'm sorry for what I said about Axel yesterday. He's a survivor and I know you'll find him"

"I hope so" she responds as they say goodbye.


	9. Chapter 9- Regret

**Chapter 9**

The walk through the forest is difficult at night. Shiva and Max take the lead at the front whilst Blaze walks at the back. If anyone of anything attacks them unexpectedly, they stand a better chance of surviving when someone fires their chi.

Sammy walks alongside Angelina and Eliza whilst Rudra cautiously walks in front of them a couple of feet away. The only light they see is the full moon in the sky. The group know that Lima's soldiers are very close in proximity especially after Wood Oak's defeat as more soldiers would have now arrived. This means they have to walk the next 5 miles as quietly as possible and be extra vigilant for any drones circling around.

Shiva holds up his hand to halt the group as he senses someone ahead of them.

Blaze: "Look out!"

A man with claws attached to his gloves jumps out from behind one of the trees to attack Shiva. Five signals follow then two robots that fire a laser which narrowly misses them from a distance.

Sammy: "Shit I hate these guys!"

Max: "I'll take the signals, you and Blaze protect the others".

Blaze ignores him and runs deeper into the forest directly towards the two robots. She jumps high as one fires a laser directly towards her stomach. Their metallic structure is hard to break down and trying to grapple them means electrocution so she uses her chi to fire at their heads to break them down. One of the robots bounces back up towards her but soon breaks apart into pieces whilst she finishes the other one with a flying kick. Suddenly she hears a timer so Blaze quickly jumps out of the way onto the floor as the second robot explodes.

Max and Rudra take on the signals with ease like it's nothing as they try to sweep and punch whilst Shiva is busy trying to catch his enemy.

"Souther?" he says as he tries to recognise the face in the darkness.

Souther: "you traitor!" He kicks Shiva to the ground but Shiva is fast to jump back up off his back on the ground to his feet.

"Final crash" he uses his energy to summersault in the air and hit Souther with what feels like lighting. Souther catches him in the chest with his claws but is now weakened as Shiva lifts him off the ground and punches him in the face. He ends his life with a heavy kick to the chest that sends Souther collapsing to the ground.

"Everyone ok?" Shiva asks as he catches his breath and glances over at Angelina who seems to be ok.

Blaze: "We have to get out of here now, all of that noise would have alerted more soldiers."

Shiva: "Do you think we should all split up?"

Blaze: "No, were stronger together. Two miles left that's it but they'll be on our tail. Keep moving through the woods close to the river, that way the soldiers have to also travel on foot".

* * *

It is two hours until dawn and the group have almost reached the coast.

Max: "We need to be real careful at this point, Lima's soldiers are entering and exiting the other side on that harbour."

Rudra: "Don't worry, my ship is coming. We've been monitoring Lima's arrivals they always sail during the daytime when the currents this way are stronger so there shouldn't be any ships coming in at this time."

They spot three Lima soldiers on guard from a distance at the entrance to the harbour. Max, Rudra and Shiva immediately shoot each one in the head.

Shiva: "Let's go now! We need to get to that ship!"

They run as quickly as they can by the side of the harbour towards the dark old vessel. On the way to it Blaze, Shiva, Max, Sammy and Rudra have to fight off more of Lima's soldiers whilst they try to protect Angelina and Eliza.

Blaze: "Keep running! Don't look back!" She instructs as bullets start to fire on the ground next to them but by now they are almost at the ship to their relief.

Suddenly they hear a gunshot and a scream. Max turns around and realises Eliza has been hit through the stomach after she had pushed Angelina out of the way to save her and the baby from the bullet.

Max: "It's gonna be ok, you are one brave woman you know that?" he says as he and Shiva carefully lift her onto the ship. Blaze and Rudra hear a horn go and that is it, they sail away full power ahead on the large vessel that wastes no time in moving away.

As they go downstairs they see many faces huddled around an empty space, all members trying to flee Wood Oak to go elsewhere.

"You're a people smuggler?" Blaze angrily questions Rudra.

Rudra: "It's our only way out of Wood Oak so unless you got any better ideas then…"

She is interrupted by Shiva. "Blaze I think your friends over there need you".

She walks towards the corner of the room and finds Max huddled over Eliza with Sammy next to him.

Max: "Please stay with me, it's gonna be ok" he says with tears in his eyes as he tries to stop the bleeding.

Eliza looks up at him with her head cradled in his hands "I'm so sorry Max, I love you" she whispers as she closes her eyes.

Max: "NO!" he shouts out with agony in his heart after she takes her last breath in his arms. Sammy places a hand on his shoulder with tears in his eyes "I'm so sorry man".

Max acknowledges him and looks up towards Blaze who is standing frozen in shock before she runs over to try and resuscitate Eliza.

Max: "She's gone, you can't save her!" he says with regret and despair.

Blaze: "I'm so sorry" she says with tears in her eyes as she walks away with nothing left but guilt and blood on her hands. All that is going through Blaze's head right now is the fact that the only reason Eliza was here is because Blaze insisted on Angelina journeying with them all the way to Lima and they made that deal. Now there is no going back.

Blaze leaves the group inside the main part of the vessel and travels up to the top deck at the front of the ship which is empty at the moment. She sits on the ground with her back against the wall as she looks out to the sea and eastern sunrise which is now appearing in their direction. She sees at least three ships in the distance belonging to their government which are on their way back to Wood Oak City full of dead soldiers. It crosses her mind what if Axel is on one of those ships dead like Eliza is now?

She continues to sit there for hours deep in her own thoughts of regret. Regrets about the way she spoke to Eliza back at Adam's wedding, regretting that she is now dead and Blaze couldn't save her, regretting the last time she saw Axel, regretting dragging Angelina into all of this just because she doesn't trust Shiva or Rudra. What will the next regret be?

* * *

 _ **August 11**_ _ **th**_ _ **\- the day after Adam and Keri's wedding and the day war with Lima was announced (End of series 3- Path of a heroine)**_

 _Axel stands on the balcony of his hotel room with his arms around Blaze looking out towards the panicking streets below and aircraft that heavily guard the sky. Jax has given him the order and he has 20 minutes to collect his things then meet him downstairs in parking lot._

 _Blaze: "You said you were tired of fighting. How many times do we have to do this?" She pulls away._

 _Axel: "I have to go, I have no choice!" He shows her the letter._

 _Blaze: "I'm sorry, I just, I'm not ready to fight anymore. Let's just leave and start again"._

 _Axel: "You know that's what I want more than anything but how's it gonna feel seeing millions of people die because we did nothing?"_

 _Blaze pauses to think: "I know, it's just one thing after another"._

 _Axel: "You have to fight Blaze, listen to me. You're a survivor and a fighter and whatever shit goes down here in this city or in your life, you can deal with it and you won't give up, understand?"_

 _It's always tough love when it comes to Axel giving advice._

 _Axel: "Promise me you'll do everything you can to keep the others safe and yourself"_

 _Blaze: "I promise. What about you?"_

 _Axel: "I'll be ok. I can't promise you I'll make it back but I'll try. Go with Adam to the home guard base their setting up in the city. Jax said we'll send all of our updates there."_

 _Blaze: "Do you remember that day I had to go up to your office back at WOPD and you gave me that angry talk because I broke Mason's nose?"_

 _Axel laughs: "Yeah, asshole deserved it but I had to still do my job"._

" _Your pet talk just now reminded me of that!" she smiles._

" _Take care of yourself Blaze" he says as he kisses her one last time before he leaves._

 _Even half an hour after Axel is gone, Blaze is still standing on the balcony oblivious to the panicking public below and sirens around the city. It's almost as if she is untouchable and not part of this world she is in. Finally she walks inside the hotel room. It's as if he was never here to begin with. Even the trays of breakfast bought in earlier seem untouched._

* * *

Reality hits Blaze again when she opens her eyes realising that now it is almost sunset and the winds and temperature outside have dropped. She must have been so exhausted and had fallen asleep for hours. She pulls out of her jacket pocket the earrings again and holds them close. She decides to take off the gold hoops she is wearing before putting on the white gold diamond studs she was given last Christmas. Anything that reminds her of him is a good thing even if he may be dead.

"Hey I brought you some food. It sucks but at least they have rice". Sammy climbs up to the top deck at the front.

Blaze: "I'm not hungry, but thanks"

Sammy: "You need to eat, the captain said we have at least another five hours until we dock in Lima".

Blaze: "How's Max doing?"

Sammy: "Stop blaming yourself, I know you. It's not your fault".

Blaze: "I'm responsible for this Sammy. Sometimes I feel like I'm doing the right thing, I try to protect myself but then others suffer because of it".

Sammy: "You risked your life to save us less than a month ago! No one is as brave as you".

Blaze: "No Sammy, I was just there fixing something I was responsible for. That Rakushin bomb was created because of my power. People like Axel, Eliza, Max, your brother- they're the real heroes not me."

They suddenly hear a crashing sound as the engines of the ship come to a halt. They start to hear screaming and shouting coming from below. Blaze and Sammy look at one another and immediately get up to their feet to investigate what is going on.


	10. Chapter 10- Only human

**Chapter 10**

As Sammy and Blaze run down the steps into the main part of the vessel, they witness more screaming, fighting and bodies laying on the ground. They can see Max, Shiva and Rudra fighting off several ninjas in the distance. Blaze narrowly avoids a flying dagger past her neck as one of the ninjas summersaults towards her. With ease, she grapples him as he tries to regain balance and slams him down on the ground whilst Sammy cork screw kicks another ninja behind them.

After five minutes the muddled brawl is finally over with seven dead ninjas in blue gi's lying on the ground. Shiva takes one of their samurai swords and pierces each one in the chest to make sure they are dead.

"Where the hell did these guys come from?" Max angrily questions Rudra.

"They must have snuck themselves onto the ship when we left" she responds.

Sammy looks around asking if everyone else still left surviving on the ship is ok. Many faces look up at him and the rest of the group in despair. Some have lost their loved ones when the ninjas attacked them using their swords for quick instantaneous damage and death. Others are also injured and bleeding.

Rudra: "We need to get the injured to safety. Downstairs there is a medical room". She awkwardly looks at Max as he realises Eliza is dead and is the only one who would have been able to treat these people.

"Let's take them downstairs then one by one" he responds calmly.

"We got bigger problems right now!" Shiva interrupts as he runs back towards them.

Angelina: "What's wrong?" she replies with fear in her voice.

Shiva: "The entire lower level is submerged! This boat is gonna to capsize anytime soon, we need to get these people to safety and get ourselves off the boat."

Sammy: "But we'l die, the water is freezing!"

Shiva: "Would you rather stay here? I'll get the flares".

Rudra: "And what do you plan to do when Lima's solders come and find us?"

Angelina: "We're trapped here or we're gonna drown!" she panics.

Blaze frantically looks around. "Get all these people up to the top of the boat and spread them around."

Max: "Then what?!"

Blaze: "I don't know! We have to stay alive as long as possible. Where are the life jackets?" she turns to Rudra.

Rudra: "At the back of the boat".

Blaze: "Grab as many as possible there's at least forty people alive on this boat" she says amongst the panicking chaos.

Ten minutes later and they are just moments away from being fully submerged. The dark water below them is deep and ice cold as everyone is saying their prayers on deck hoping for a miracle.

When all hope seems to be lost, suddenly in the distance Shiva notices a light glaring. "That must be another ship! HELP! HEY WE NEED HELP!" he waves his hands in the air and uses his chi to create a light in the darkness.

Blaze: "What if they're Lima soldiers?"

Rudra: "That's one of their vessels you know, shit!"

Shiva: "Let them capture us thinking we've surrendered, they'll get us off this boat then we kill them."

"Ok!" Blaze nods in agreement.

As the larger ship draws in closer, the group stand by the rails with their hands in the air to surrender in silence. Suddenly there is a scream among their boat as they hear a loud noise below deck as more of their surroundings are submerging further into the water.

Angelina: "They need to hurry!" she anxiously says.

The group still maintain their stance with their hands in the hair as the other vessel gets closer with lights on them and the captain of the ship starts to come into view. He is wearing a long hooded black cloak so they can barely see his face.

Blaze: "Do you think it's a Yamato warrior?" she questions Shiva nervously.

Shiva: "I don't think so, why would they travel on ship?"

Blaze shrugs, starting to panic some more.

"We surrender and come in peace" Shiva says to the man.

As the cloaked man on the other ship lowers his hood, the first thing they notice is a mechanical arm until he reveals his face.

Sammy shouts with relief and excitement "Zan! Dr Zan!"

Zan gives them a brief smile as they drop their hands from the air. 

* * *

"How did you manage to get hold of this vessel then?" Rudra asks Zan with astonishment.

Zan: "This is one of the first ships that arrived in Wood Oak after the war was declared. I had left the city at the time and was working by the coast doing my research. The American army and I managed to ambush over 80 soldiers travelling on this vessel. All of their bodies now lying at the bottom of the ocean".

Rudra: "So it's true then".

Zan: "What?"

Rudra: "Your chi is still powerful old man"

Zan: "The syndicate might have taken away the body I was born with but they never owned my soul" he replies with annoyance as he walks away leaving her to think while she sharpens her knife.

The last two hours on this vessel have been a bumpy ride with Sammy feeling sick, Max grieving and Angelina scared her water will break any day now.

After Zan has tended to more of the wounded from the other boat, he cautiously approaches Blaze who is sitting alone on the floor. He knows she is still angry with him ever since she found out about his involvement in RoboCy. After all, she vowed to kill him if she ever saw him again. It often breaks his heart when he thinks about it as he once considered her like a daughter all those years ago.

"I have nothing to say to you" she turns away as he walks towards her.

Zan: "I know about your uncle, the general and why this war began. I'd advise you to go back to Wood Oak City and fight at home while you can or live your life elsewhere perhaps back in London before it's too late and before this war spreads".

Blaze: "You no longer advise me".

Zan: "You don't understand what Lima is like. It's a dangerous place, as soon as the enemy knows you are there and who you are they'll hold you captive or kill you and you'll have no chance of stopping this war. The people there use dark power and are full of cults who will sacrifice you to the Yamato without a second thought".

Blaze: "I don't want a lecture right now, I have a plan that I'm sticking to".

Zan: "All you will find there is darkness and evil".

Blaze: "You have no idea what darkness I've endured".

Zan: "You might hate me right now Blaze but I will always care about you. I'm sorry I lied to you, we all make mistakes. You understood that the day you left London with Jake to move to Wood Oak City, you knew deep down I was right about him. He ruined your life but you survived! That day you left I wanted to tell you everything, everything about RoboCy and what had happened to me. I felt so guilty for what had happened I had to make it up to you but it was too late, you had already made your mind up to leave."

Blaze: "Wait what do you mean you had to make it up to me?"

Zan: "Even years after I escaped RoboCy, I had spies, hackers like Luca who tried everything to monitor them. We knew what was going on with Petrov Ali, your uncle. After Mr X shot him and killed your family, your uncle became one of Dr Glover's subjects with his memory completely wiped. He became a loyal and ruthless soldier to the syndicate who made him into the general in charge of building Lima city. They needed someone to run Lima who was declared already dead and had no family left in the world to recognise them or come looking for them".

Blaze: "So why didn't you tell me all this earlier when I didn't know?"

Zan: "Because I knew you would have pursued it. I came with the files, will all the information to tell you but that day you had made the decision to start a new life in Wood Oak City, I couldn't ruin that for you. I still wanted you to be happy".

He hands over to her an old photo he kept of them when he was working at Blaze's university.

"I'm sorry. I'm still paying the price, I was young when we built RoboCy, I made a mistake but it's my problem to deal with."

She looks down at the photo and gives him a warm smile, the first in a long time.

Blaze: "We all make mistakes, I miss those days".

Zan: "Me too".

Their heart to heart is interrupted as one of Zan's colleagues informs them "we're almost there, I can see land!"

Zan: "Ready the smaller boats on this side of the mountains it's quiet there and they wont notice us coming and even if they do, we will kill them with what we have".

Blaze walks upstairs to the outside part of the ship. The beaming sunrise next to the heavy mountains of Lima is orange and red. After one bad day dawns a new one and she suddenly feels ready for this. Ready to fight, ready to find Axel and finally, ready to win this war. 

* * *

For the last three days, Axel has survived by himself through each scorching day and every cold night this terrain has to offer. He has had to take the longest routes over the mountains to avoid being captured by Lima soldiers. Beard grown, ripped clothes, dry blood, sweat, dehydration and exhaustion- he has never felt worse. The biggest struggle is finding enough water, mostly through the trees. Food hasn't been as much of a problem where he has easily caught birds and wild rabbit then has skinned them and cooked them using fire and logs.

One step after another has been harder and harder. The last thing he remembers is passing out on the ground again high up due to the altitude and thin air.

Suddenly, he is woken up as he feels a splash of cold water on his face. He realises is laying on the ground inside what appears to be a hut made of a mixture wood and straw and there are at least ten men in a tribe surrounding him. Axel tries to reach for his knife but they have already taken it away. He has barely enough energy to walk let alone use his chi right now so he gives in and surrenders with his hands in the air. It's all surreal as the men do nothing but stand and stare with serious faces until one comes running through the crowd shouting at them to leave in his language.

"You ok?" He asks Axel, trying his best in English. It feels like a ton of bricks on Axel's head as he scans the room around him.

Axel: "Where am I?" he asks.

Immediately the other men exit as the leader of their tribe enters the hut. Axel recognises him straight away.

"My name is Amda" the guy next to him says "and this is Ra, our leader. You saved his son's life".

Axel remembers the young boy he took the bullet out of just days ago as Ra says something to Amda in their native language.

Amda: "He says you are welcome to stay and rest as long as you need. He is grateful you save his son".

Axel: "Tell him thank you, but I have to keep going through the mountains. If those soldiers find me they'll kill everyone here".

Amda: "They wont look here you are safe. They have no interest in us. Please, rest, drink this and when you wake up you will eat".

Reluctantly Axel takes the warm wooden cup and drinks the liquid inside before passing out again.


	11. Chapter 11- Fear

**Chapter 11**

"How are you finding your stay here in Lima?" Mr X questions Electra across the table from him as they sip on their cups of coffee.

Electra: "I'm safe, I'm comfortable. Anything beats that prison cell! I have everything I need, thank you". She smiles.

Mr X: "That's what I like to hear. Unfortunately Yasha didn't appreciate my efforts".

Electra: "What do we do about the rest of Neo Chaos scattered around Wood Oak City?"

Mr X: "My sources have sent them news of Yasha's tragic accident here in Lima. You will now take over as leader of their organisation. There are over 20 of them still stationed in the city and growing as the Lima army allow them to carve up territory over there. Unfortunately Wood Oak City is no longer habitable with most of it damaged by our air strikes. Many of our gang members still operate there underground".

Electra: "What about the surrounding cities and the rest of the government?"

Mr X: "I have my own source who is ensuring that they do as little as possible to interfere in the state of Wood Oak. Lima's soldiers will gain full control and once we start supplies again, imports will be easily exchanged again through Wood Oak's harbour into the city then around the rest of the country. It's a crying shame though".

Electra: "What is?"

Mr X: "Wood Oak City had so much potential. All that's left standing is a wasteland. In the meantime I've sent Raven and his men back there to ensure that Lima's soldiers cooperate with the gang members there".

Electra: "And how are the repairs going from the attacks on Lima City here?"

Mr X: "That four square mile radius you were staying in when you arrived is nothing but a hoax. Allow me to show you the real Lima".

They finish their coffee before they are escorted down to Mr X's car. They have never felt this smart and regal as he stands in an expensive black suit, shades and polished shoes whilst Electra wears a long blue tight fitted smart dress with black heals. The atmosphere around them is starting to heat up during the 8am hour but they comfortably sit at the back of his driven Mercedes.

As he takes a phone call, Electra looks out of the window at the gravel roads and open fields surrounding them with mountains and the old Lima city left behind them on their two hour drive. She smiles knowing now that Shiva is gone, Rocket, Yasha and Tiger are all dead and after years of starting from the bottom as a call girl, she is now Mr X's number 2 in the syndicate and the new leader of Neo Chaos.

They drive past a beautiful valley over the mountains with full view of what lies ahead.

"Stop here" Mr X orders his driver.

He takes Electra's hand as they step out of the car by the road side whilst his convoy of soldiers follow.

"Look straight ahead" he says in her ear.

As Electra opens her eyes she is astounded by what she sees in the distance. The city ahead of them is identical to the Wood Oak City skyline except newer, fresher and busier. Everything from Wood Oak bride to glass tower to its sky scrapers has been replicated perfectly.

Electra: "How is this real? How did you…?"

Mr X smiles: "The people here are very special Electra. I want you to meet them and get to know them, they can make miracles happen. Light from darkness, cities from bricks. What do you think?"

Electra: "This is incredible" she replies with excitement in her eyes.

Mr X: "This city is mine, the syndicates, ours. All of the visions I had for Wood Oak City are here. Under my rule we will prosper and this will become the most powerful city on Earth".

They make a toast then clang their champagne glasses together before they return to the car. 

* * *

It's nightfall when Axel wakes up again, this time his headache is gone completely. "What did you give me to drink?" he turns to Amda who is sat next to him.

Amda: "We have many remedies and potions here in Lima. Everything will heal in time" he says as he gives Axel a white paste and a bandage for his head wound.

Axel smiles: "Now I know where Zan gets all of his remedies".

Amda: "Who is Zan?"

Axel: "An old friend of mine. He's visited Lima before".

They are interrupted when Ra comes in and speaks to Amda with a serious tone.

Amda: "Come on we have to get up" he says to Axel with urgency. "You should feel better now".

Axel: "I understand, thank you for looking after me".

Amda: "Oh no I didn't mean that! He wants you to have dinner with him and our tribe".

Axel: "Ok!" he responds surprised- he is hungry after all.

The men sit on the ground inside a different, bigger hut as clay pots are bought forward towards them. The food happens to be pretty good- wild boar cooked over fire with what appears to be scrambled yam next to it. Axel notices the boy he treated limping around but full of life as he walks over to him with a smile on his face "than yoou than yoou" the child says. Amda tried to teach him two words.

"Your welcome" Axel smiles as the boy excitedly returns to his mother.

Amda translates Ra's conversation as they eat.

"His son Emi is very happy to be alive. They owe you their life! Ra is asking you to choose a sacrifice for tonight, anyone you select as an offering to the stars".

Axel: "Oh no, that won't be necessary".

Amda: "Ok". He continues to speak with Ra whilst they eat as more members of the tribe including Ra's wife and children return in close proximity.

Amda: "Ra says he has a big family"

Axel smiles: "He is blessed to have them".

Amda: "Yes! In fact he has twelve daughters. He said that you can pick a wife from any of them as you saved his son's life".

Axel almost coughs out his water as he is taken by surprise.

Axel: "Tell him I appreciate the gesture but I can't".

Amda translates as Ra replies back to him "he is asking why not? His daughters are all honourable".

Axel tries to stay serious without trying to offend them "I'm sure they are but I'm promised to someone else". He takes out of his pocket a small photo of Blaze and gives it to Amda who then passes it to Ra.

Amda: "She is very beautiful and strong inside".

Axel: "She is, but I don't even know if she is still alive" he replies with regret.

Amda: "Ra says she is still alive".

Axel: "How does he know?"

Amda: "She came to you and helped you when you were at your weakest didn't she? And she is still searching for you".

Axel: "Is Blaze here? In Lima?"

Amda: "He doesn't know, but her ancestors once lived here before they became nomads. She reminds him of a Lima princess we speak of who lived here many centuries ago. She vanished one night when lightning struck our lands for three days".

Axel: "What else does he see?"

Amda: "If you do not find her in time she'll die by sacrifice. Before we found you, you were not searching for a way out back to your home lands. You were searching for the ancient Yamato temple".

Axel: "Yeah, if it even exists here. Can you take me there?"

Amda: "It is forbidden. Without invitation, without power from the universe no one may enter".

Axel removes his gloves and holds forward his palms to Ra.

Axel: "What does he see?"

Amda: "Fire. You possess the power of fire, it is unique and strong but to defeat your enemies it is not enough. Energy combined is more powerful than chi alone, your teachers have always known this. Ra and some of the others will take you as far as he can towards the temple. It takes a day on foot by following the North star".

Axel: "Thank you"

Amda: "Remember who you are when your enemies try to change you. Your mind is strong enough to overcome anything".

Axel: "What does that mean?"

Amda: "That's enough for now, you will understand one day. Finish your food, tonight you will leave for the temple it is a difficult journey". 

* * *

"Is that it? Ruins?!" Blaze angrily asks Shiva as they see the remains of the Yamato temple in the distance.

Shiva: "The Yamato now reside in Japan in the sacred garden but they will know we are here. This temple use to thrive centuries ago when they ruled Lima".

Blaze: "I don't care when it thrived, we've trekked around this place for 2 days now to find it! With your pregnant wife alongside us should I remind you?"

Shiva: "You think I don't know that? What the risks were? You insisted, maybe your friend would still be alive if you didn't!"

Blaze: "Don't you dare!" she clenches her fists.

Angelina interrupts: "Can you two please stop arguing! I'm ok Blaze, I'm walking, I have food, I have water. Now go and do what you came here to do!"

Shiva: "Only Blaze, Zan and I can go beyond this point. It is forbidden for anyone else without power to pass" he notices Rudra giving him an annoyed stare.

Blaze: "Zan is leaving with Max and Sammy to find Axel from here. If he is still alive he will be searching for this temple from the other side."

Zan: "She's right".

Blaze: "Once you find Axel, use this to contact Adam. It's a risk and they will intercept your signal but at least he'l know your alive and if there are any ships left he will come and find you". She hands over a small cell phone. "It will need some charging" she smiles at Zan.

Zan: "Of course!"

Rudra: "And what about my payment for getting you here safely by ship?"

Blaze: "Oh I'm sorry but your ship capsized before we got here, we could have all been dead by now!"

Shiva: "Just pay her and be done with it!"

Blaze reluctantly grabs the cash that Adam put in her rucksack and hands it over to Rudra. Sammy gives Blaze a hug before he, Max and Zan set off "be careful".

Blaze: "You too young man". She then gives Max a hug and whispers in his ear "I'm so sorry, we will get justice for Eliza I promise I'll do everything I can".

Max: "I know, it's not your fault. I promise you we'l find Axel".

They say their goodbyes for now as Shiva and Blaze make their way over the next hill. Angelina and Rudra wait patiently at the bottom until they return. Both Shiva and Blaze are unsure at what lies ahead, she has never felt so anxious in her life. She is a sworn enemy who knows she may have to fight the Yamato if they decide not to listen to what Blaze has to say. It could also be a trap, after all how genuine is Shiva? He would easily take his master's side over hers and turn her in that is no doubt. Finally the biggest fear of all is them confirming Axel is dead.

All of these thoughts are darting around Blaze's head as she instantly regrets making this decision. But she remembers why she is doing it. Millions of people's lives both in Lima and Wood Oak City could change because of this. The power they are storing that Mr X gave them in the last barrel also belongs to Blaze. Sometimes in order to do the right thing, you have to sacrifice yourself. In this life, there is no such thing as courage and honour. The only thing Blaze is feeling right now is fear deep inside her gut.


	12. Chapter 12- The proposition

**Chapter 12**

It is close to sundown when Shiva and Blaze reach the empty temple and broken pillars surrounding it. The cold air is picking up quickly as nightfall approaches.

"What now?" Blaze anxiously asks Shiva.

"We kneel at the entrance and wait" he responds.

Shiva: "Are you still wearing your pendant?"

Blaze shakes her head "no. Mr X pulled the chain and kept it when I was prisoner".

Shiva: "I'm sorry."

Blaze: "He knew what he was doing by taking it".

Shiva: "Close your eyes and listen carefully to everything around you. Show them you are at peace and they will come sooner than you think".

Hesitantly, she kneels down on the ground next to him then closes her eyes. The air around them is serene and calm. It is as if her senses have awakened and she can feel every energy close by including the trees, the wind and the earth below her.

Suddenly her breath is taken away and her surroundings are no more as she opens her eyes, frozen still and standing in the wind outside a beautiful temple. The orange sunset and twilight are no more and the sky is dark and full of stars. It is as if she has warped into a different universe. This place seems very familiar to her, almost like de ja vu or a dream Blaze once had. She feels the energy of the Yamato warriors in the wind passing her side without being able to see them but she cannot move her body. Finally when she gains some control of herself, she runs towards the front of the temple where Shiva is sat bowed in front of his old masters.

The three warriors' demeanour's are fierce and menacing and Blaze's heart is pounding as she stands before them.

"So you finally came for the rest of your power" Yamato Kato in the middle places his hand on the last barrel of energy that Mr X stored that they took from Blaze.

Blaze: "You should know that the power you're holding onto was taken away from me against my own free will without fair combat. That is a violation of your code".

"So have you come here to fight for it then?" Yamato Oshiro on the right questions her.

Blaze: "If I have to" she readies herself.

Oshiro: "You are foolish to try".

Blaze: "I'm not afraid to fight you. The night I had Tiger killed he called me princess of the stars. If anything you should be begging me for mercy".

Oshiro: "You are not strong enough, yet. I've looked into your soul, you are not the chosen one".

Blaze: "I know what you did to the other temple containing your fellow warriors' students. They also know how you betrayed your own kind"

"Enough!" Kato shouts out.

Yamato Oshiro transports himself forward in front of Blaze with his own fighting stance.

Kato: "I said, enough!"

Oshiro: "Surely she has something to prove" he insists on fighting.

Kato: "There will come a day where you will be required to fight and also face the consequences of your actions" he reminds Oshiro. "But today, I need to hear what they have to say" he glances at Shiva.

Yamato Oshiro returns to his place next to the other two warriors.

Shiva: "Mr X's alliance with you is a lie, he has betrayed you".

Kato: "We have always had peace with him since you were sent to fight by his side to change the world. It seems you are the one that has failed here"

Shiva: "he betrayed me and sent his men and more of your fighters to try and kill me. Look into my soul and you will understand why I left his side"

Kato: "The fate of those two children Mr X killed was set in stone. They would have grown up with revenge in their hearts and eventually would have killed you."

He then glances at Blaze "you were never supposed to survive either. Your uncle claimed he had found the chosen one and had burned them alive. Lima city was given to him for that very reason".

Blaze: "The syndicate almost killed him, manipulated him, wiped his memory and built what they wanted. Where is your temple then? Where is your legacy in Lima? With their people? As far as I can see, they hate you and your legacy no longer exists there. All the promises Mr X made to you are a lie. Wood Oak City is nothing but a wasteland now because of him, and here you are still trapped as prisoners in your own dimension".

Yamato Akihiro speaks out to them for the first time "so what is your proposition then?"

Shiva glances at Blaze, uncertain and afraid as she speaks out to his old masters.

Blaze: "I'll convince the people of Lima that I am the chosen one, I'll show them my power and I'll kill Mr X. I don't want to be a dictator like he is. Once he is dead, the people of Lima will follow me but your legacy, your temples, schools whatever it is you want will prosper again. I will convince the people there to follow your religion and traditions once again as long as there is peace."

Shiva nods at her in solidarity "I agree. Ever since Mr X came into power there has been nothing but death and bloodshed. This is not what you taught us".

Oshiro shakes his head "I am so disappointed in you my student. She has influenced you, has poisoned your mind! You are standing next to our enemy!" He says with anger and continues.

"I object to this! The only thing to do now is sacrifice her and send her soul back to the stars!" He rushes forward towards Blaze with a dagger in his hand. She fires her chi but he resists the burning as the blade pierces her skin. Time slows down drastically in that moment as she is shocked to witness that Oshiro is the one who cries out in pain. Blaze looks up and realises his fellow warrior, Kato has teleported himself behind Oshiro and has executed him with his samurai. Oshiro stands powerless with the blade stuck in his back and out through his stomach. He looks into Blaze's eyes with hate as he takes his last breath and collapses onto the ground.

She catches her breath and glances at Shiva as they feel surprised to be alive when the other two warriors step forward.

Kato: "I killed him because he betrayed us and disobeyed me. That barrel over there is empty. Oshiro gave your power back to Mr X when he demanded it and made his own deal with him. The fate of your master was always this way" he says with regret to Shiva.

Kato: "If you fail at killing Mr X and recapturing Lima, or if you side with the chosen one against us, I will come after you myself and you will have no choice but to fight me before I kill you and own your soul with all of it's power".

Blaze: "I understand".

Kato: "You have three days" he says as he removes his Samurai from Oshiro who is lying dead on the floor.

Blaze nods at him signalling that she wants his weapon as he cautiously gives her the handle.

In an amazing display, Blaze holds up the sword in the air with her chi lighting up the weapon and the air around her. In one swift stroke, she uses it to cut Oshiro's head then throws the weapon on the ground.

Shiva places the warrior's head in a bag knowing that they now have everything they need to convince the people of Lima to follow them and upraise against Mr X.

Shiva and Blaze walk away from the temple past the sacred pillars as the two warriors left watch with caution from a distance. They are no longer enemies or allies in that moment. Blaze is risking everything including her soul but must do whatever it takes to face her fears.

They turn around to face the beautiful temple again one more time and in the blink of an eye, Shiva and Blaze are back in front of the open hills of Lima where the ancient ruins and night sky they were kneeling under still exists.

"I can't believe it worked!" Shiva says astounded.

"We must have been gone for a while" Blaze looks around noticing how dark and cold it is.

Shiva spots her bleeding from the side of her stomach as he throws over to her a tub of ointment from his backpack.

Blaze: "Shit! I will be ok, the dagger didn't get far but that was close!"

Shiva: "We have everything we need now, let's go".

They make their way back down the mountain to return to Rudra and Angelina.

Shiva: "Are you sure this is going to work? You haven't witnessed what the people here are like!"

Blaze: "It has to work, if it doesn't we're dead" she replies as she looks down at the bag in his hand containing the warriors head. 

* * *

After hours of walking on foot, Sammy, Zan and Max stop to drink water, eat and camp somewhere safe for the night. There hasn't been any luck in finding Axel so far but as they wake up to a new day Sammy notices something peculiar in the distance. He runs over towards Max who is sleeping against a rock.

Sammy: "Max wake up!"

He startles his friend awake "what's wrong?"

Sammy: "Look! Over there!"

He points to the distance where they see a city beyond the valley identical to Wood Oak's skyline.

Max: "I'll be damned!"

Sammy: "How did we get back to Wood Oak City? This place is too weird!"

Max: "That's not Wood Oak City! Where's Zan?" He looks around then hears him shouting.

Zan: "Run! Now!" They hear several tankers approaching from behind and in front as they realise they have been ambushed.

Max: "How the hell did they find us?" He angrily quizzes Zan.

Zan: "I don't know, someone must have informed them of where we are. Take this!" He throws over a knife towards Max as Sammy kicks down the first soldier who appears. Zan uses his electrical reach to kill and throw two more soldiers in the air whilst Max uses his spinning knuckle bomb to knock down three more soldiers who surround him. The group successfully manage to take down at least 20 soldiers after a couple of minutes of fighting.

Max catches his breath: "we gotta get out of here!"

They start to run but then halt as they notice a helicopter above them with a voice speaking through a tanoy. Max instantly recognises Electra's voice "place your hands in the air with your weapons on the ground!"

The three of them have no choice but to follow as guns from the chopper point towards them. They then hear another four tanker approaching followed by a convoy of black cars. "Kneel on the ground!" she orders from above.

"Shit!" Max says feeling defeated as armed men hold their guns against their backs.

Immediately Mr X steps out of the car in shades, a black suit and long black coat "well, it's great to see you three again! What do you think of the new Wood Oak City?" he says as the three of them glare at him in silence.

"I asked you a question!"

Sammy sarcastically responds: "It's lit, except for the people. Then again it's impossible to forge everything!"

Mr X glares at him and grabs Sammy by the neck "are you certain about that boy? I could clone you easily, all I need is one hair from your head. Could you imagine how powerful something made from your DNA could be?"

Max: "Leave him alone!"

Mr X smiles then let's go of Sammy who is now chocking. He then walks over to Max and punches him in the face "I'm sorry to hear about your girlfriend" Mr X calmly says. All Max can do is spit out the blood from his mouth and glare at him with hate.

Mr X: "Take these three back to my quarters. If Blaze or Axel are still alive they will come to us".

Bags are placed over their heads as they are escorted away as prisoners.


	13. Chapter 13- Betrayal

**Chapter 13**

Dawn is approaching as Blaze, Shiva, Rudra and Angelina still pass tree after tree along miles of jungle and terrain.

Rudra tiredly comments "how'd you even know we're following the right path? It feels like we've been running around in circles all night!" she looks down at her compass with uncertainty as the needle continues to spin.

Shiva: "That thing in your hand is no use. My old master use to say that this part of the world is so cryptic that the magic of the people here cut any magnetic polar ties. The only thing we can follow is the sunrise and the North Star."

Rudra sighs feeling fed up with the journey. She often thinks about her relationship with her older half brother Shiva. He was her hero, everything she ever wanted to be as a child she saw in him. Although they were never that close growing up with their five year age gap and each of them living with their own mothers, she always looked up to him and wanted to be like him.

Shiva turns to Blaze who is taking the lead "I think we need to stop now and rest".

Blaze: "We can't stay here, we have to keep moving".

He worriedly looks at Angelina next to him who is struggling to walk.

Shiva: "No, we need to stop right now!" The group come to a halt as Angelina lies down next to a tree.

"You ok?" Shiva looks down at her concerned as she shakes her head with tears in her eyes full of pain whilst catching her breath.

Angelina painfully responds "I think my waters broke!"

Blaze: "We must be close to any villages as the water supply here is good. I'll go and get help!"

Rudra: "No!"

Blaze turns and looks at her puzzled.

Rudra: "We need you here, if we have to move how will you find us?"

Blaze: "sssh" she silences everyone as she notices a flashing light.

Rudra: "Where did that come from?" she whispers as she pulls out her knife feeling alarmed.

Blaze pauses with her head down before activating a grenade followed by her chi that she throws backwards. Immediately a bush metres behind them explodes into flames as two Lima soldiers appear with their bodies on fire running towards the group. Blaze rolls out of the way to grab one of their guns on the floor that has fallen out of the soldier's belts during the explosion. She immediately shoots them before they have the chance to get closer to the group.

Shiva: "What the fuck was that?!" He gets up to inspect the area.

Blaze: "You tell me" she responds angrily.

Shiva: "How did you…?"

Blaze: "Your sister there was right, we've been walking in circles for the last four hours. Those two soldiers have been following us since yesterday, always trailing 20 metres behind us." She stands behind Angelina and lights a small blue orb of energy.

Shiva: "Hurt her and I'll kill you!"

Blaze: "You betrayed me, we had a deal here! Those men knew exactly where we were going and I fell for the bait".

Shiva: "I don't know how they found us!"

Blaze pulls out a small green chip from Angelina's backpack "then what is this then?" she questions the others.

Angelina pleads with her "I swear I didn't know that was in there! Please don't hurt me" she cries out.

Blaze: "If you and this baby want to live, your gonna tell me right now who planted this!"

"I don't know!" Angelina cries out as Blaze holds the energy flame closer to her head.

Shiva responds: "It was me, I put the chip in her bag when you were saying goodbye to your friends. Angelina knew nothing about it. Kill me but don't hurt her" he places his hands in the air.

Blaze shakes her head "I only pretended to pull this tracker from her bag, she's right she had no idea it was in there because it never was. Instead this was placed in my own backpack, so your lying to me." Their gazes turn towards Rudra knowing that Shiva is lying to protect Angelina.

"How could you do this?!" he angrily questions his sister "you put my child and wife at risk!"

Blaze: "I wanna know who is tracking us?" Blaze points the gun at Rudra.

Rudra sighs before responding "the government are tracking us".

Blaze: "Who? Which government?"

Rudra: "Both Lima's and our own. I can explain. Three months ago after the death of General Petrov, Lima and the US government signed a unification treaty."

Shiva: "treaty? But we are at war!"  
Rudra: "It was in our countries' best interests. The conditions were that the state of Wood Oak including it's own city and population would be relocated".

Blaze: "What does that mean?"

Rudra: "Top secret classified arrangements were made over a decade ago regarding Wood Oak City's future. Our own US national government felt that Wood Oak was a lost cause. The crime there, the people, the threat of Rakushin bombs were all too big of a risk to the rest of the country. The police were failing to control the city, the gangs were out of control. Our government made a deal with the syndicate to keep the city under regulation with Mr X as part of the city council. They even funded the production of his own robots and scientists. When Mr X's crimes were exposed by Blaze's team, their plans fell apart and now we are here. This is all part of a major cover up."

Blaze: "What were these plans then that your government made?"

Rudra: "To wipe out what we know as Wood Oak City from within. In decades to come, all of it's resources and citizens would belong to the Lima nations where they would rebuild our city here as a giant global power for technology and nuclear weapons. Our own government saw Wood Oak and it's citizens as a thorn in a rose bush, Lima saw it as a seed ready to flourish their nation."

Blaze: "So basically you're saying Lima and our own government planned this war?"

Rudra: "It became impossible to carry out the destruction of Wood Oak City within itself after Javier Williams was exposed as Mr X. This was the only way forward, why do you think the rest of the government have not been involved in this war by sending enough reinforcements or their own nuclear weapons? We didn't expect it to take this long but it did."

Blaze: "Your crazy you know that?"

Rudra: "Once you see what we have built you will understand. Together our government and Lima have created things beyond our imagination. A brand new city, a brand new nation of people all ready to serve their country".

Shiva: "You mean robots, clones whatever they are all under the control of the government and the syndicate".

Rudra: "This is the future of our world. They will never have to face limitations such as disease or famine. You remember when we were kids don't you? When dad died he was too sick to recognise us. In our new city this will never happen again. We can even bring him back if we want to, they have the technology here and the scientists who can make miracles happen! Come with me brother, we can overthrow Mr X and rule this new nation ourselves."

Blaze glances at him worriedly as Shiva approaches his sister.

Shiva: "What about the syndicate? The people here are under Mr X's control".

Rudra: "We have Oshiro's head, the people of Lima will know that child you are having is the chosen one. Your son will carry your bloodline with chi more powerful than ever. It's written in the ancient Yamato scripts that the one who will bring an end to their reign is due any generation now. Once that baby is born, we can take him to Lima's new capital city and the people will follow us because of him. All we need to do is offer a sacrifice containing power from the universe to the people there. They will burn her alive". She glances at Blaze who is in disbelief.

Blaze: "Over my dead body! I destroyed this chip you planted in my bag yesterday, your people won't be finding me any time soon."

Rudra laughs with a sinister tone in her voice "are you sure about that Blaze? I always have backup. That phone of yours was pretty easy to access when you were busy trying to save the others before our ship capsized".

Blaze suddenly realises that Max, Sammy and Zan are in danger as she gave them the cell phone when they left.

"You vile bitch!" she curses at Rudra.

The four of them now find themselves in a dangerous situation. Angelina is in the middle of them in labour, struggling to contemplate what is going on whilst Blaze hesitantly aims the trigger in one hand at Rudra and the other hand at Angelina with her energy orb whilst no one is standing in the way of Shiva. Blaze knows that as soon as she kills either one of them, he will have the advantage by attacking her back with his own chi so the situation is in his hands.

The four of them pause for a moment that feels like hours whilst Blaze makes the first move.

In a sudden turn of events, she decides to close her palm and lower her weapon so that she is now at the mercy of Rudra and Shiva.

Blaze: "I wont kill an innocent woman and her child, that's not me. Do what you have to, take me to the syndicate and the people of Lima but spare my friends".

Shiva nods at her in acknowledgement as he starts to tie Blaze's hands together. She looks into his eyes with disappointment as Angelina lies in agony on the floor.

Rudra continues behind them "I will call our men now, a convoy is on their way to collect us".

As she finishes her sentence, Shiva discretely reaches for Blaze's knife attached to her belt. "I'm sorry" he whispers to her emotionally as Blaze finds herself afraid of what he will do as she stands in front of him helpless.

Suddenly he turns around and forces the knife into Rudra's stomach. His little sister falls into his arms with blood pouring from her mouth in bewilderment at what he has done as tears roll down her cheeks.

Shiva: "you betrayed me, my wife and my unborn child by doing this. You put us all in danger and your vision with all of it's miracles has no freedom for anyone. I still love you though, always". He says with tears in his eyes as Rudra weakly collapses to the ground in his arms to take her last breath.

He kneels next to her body and mourns as he closes her eyelids.

"We need your help! I don't know what to do!" Blaze shouts over to him as Angelina calls out in distress as more contractions persist. Shiva takes a deep breath and runs over towards them on the ground.

Shiva: "Grab any jackets, loose clothes, water anything you can find" he orders Blaze as he unties her hands. "Everything is going to be ok, I promise. Just keep breathing" he reassures Angelina and takes her hand.


	14. Chapter 14- Interrogation

**Chapter 14**

Ra signals to Axel that he cannot walk with him any further during the last two miles uphill towards the old temple.

Axel: "Thank you for taking me this far".

He carries on alone through the morning sunshine and fresh air until he reaches the top towards the old ruins where Blaze and Shiva left only twelve hours ago. He kneels down by the entrance to meditate as he waits to be transported to another dimension. Before he closes his eyes, Axel notices blood on the floor next to him. He touches a patch on the ground but in doing so, he feels a small electric shock. Straight away he knows that Blaze was here and it wasn't that long ago. He immediately gets up and starts walking away from the temple in the other direction down the hill to find her.

A voice behind him speaks as he leaves the sacred site. He turns around, ready to fight as his old master stands before him.

Akihiro: "I am not here to fight with you". Axel lowers his guard.

Axel: "I went against your deal with Mr X, I'll do what I have to".

Akihiro: "You have always stuck to your principles which shaped the fighter you became. This is not about our dispute anymore. Keep travelling south from here and you will see what they have done to the people of Lima".

Axel: "Why are you telling me this?"

Akihiro: "Oshiro is dead and my time will come soon. It's proof that the chosen one is almost here. Master Kato made a deal with Blaze. She exchanged her soul for Lima's and Wood Oak's freedom against the syndicates rule. If she is successful in convincing the people of Lima here to follow her and us, she will defeat your enemies and we will have peace. If she fails, Kato will take her soul and any power left."

Axel: "You once told me that the people of Lima will only follow the chosen one, if they even exist".

Akihiro: "She has proof of Oshiro's death. Maybe it is enough to convince them to turn against the syndicate. General Petrov and the syndicate managed to rule Lima based on a lie, maybe she can do the same. Our world is changing faster than ever before".

Axel: "But the syndicate are dead, Lima's army are calling the shots".

Akihiro: "Mr X is still alive, he is dictating a whole nation open your eyes!"

Axel: "But I saw the body, he's dead!"

Akihiro: "You will see it for yourself very soon. You must go as quickly as possible to the new city. There you will find what you are looking for along with the murderer of your parents".

He disappears in a blink of an eye, leaving Axel to journey on further with much to contemplate. 

* * *

"Where are they?" Mr X throws another punch at Max's face while he kneels on the floor swollen in blood.

Max: "I told you, I don't know!"

Mr X: "The second tracker was placed on her that Blaze must have figured out. For the last time, where is she?"

"Beats me!" Max shrugs sarcastically as a masked guard throws another hit this time busting his lip.

"If you wont talk, perhaps he will!" Mr X refers to Sammy in the next cell. He gives up on Max then opens the door of the cell. "Hold him up!" He orders as two thugs appear and pin Sammy with his back against the wall.

Sammy looks carefully into one of the thugs eyes in disbelief "Shit man, is that you?... Kadeem?" but the boy ignores him. He then looks at the second one also in astonishment "Donovan?! I thought you were dead!" But both of them continue to ignore him. They look slightly out of place- paler, scars around their hairlines and heavier in their stance.

Sammy pleads: "Kadeem it's me! What are you doing? It's me Sammy!" but his friend ignores him.

Mr X replies coldly: "They can't hear you boy, they're only clones made from DNA".

"Now your friend over there Max didn't manage to tell me where Stone, Hunter and Fielding are. Maybe you can offer better advice to us?" He says as he takes hold of a reciprocating saw in one hand. He switches it on as the blade starts to spin in front of Sammy's face when he refuses to talk.

"Now tell me, WHERE ARE THEY?!" Mr X shouts in anger but Sammy closes his eyes and keeps his mouth shut.

Mr X: "If one of you don't speak up I will take the boy's eye!" Sammy closes his eyes tight in fear.

Max then intervenes: "wait! I'll tell you where they are, just let him go he's just a kid".

Mr X switches off the saw and approaches Max "I'm listening then".

Max: "Adam Hunter is still stationed in Wood Oak City under home guard. Axel Stone is dead or missing, we've had no word from him for months now his regiment were killed when they raided old Lima city."

Mr X: "Hard to believe".

Max: "Blaze was headed for the old hidden Yamato temple. She's being held there by your associates, maybe you should be questioning them instead of us".

Mr X: "Smart move trying to turn me against my allies I have to admit. Now if I find out you've told me a lie, the boy over there dies when I return. Understand?"

Max sighs worriedly. He knows he is not a snitch and has told part of the truth to buy them some time. He knows that Blaze is long gone from the temple if she is even still alive but they will be on her tail and the syndicate now know she is here in Lima. He prays that one of the others will make it here to rescue them otherwise Mr X will not hesitate to kill them. 

* * *

The dawn of a new day arrives as Angelina lies on the ground asleep covered in jackets whilst Blaze sits next to her on guard holding the baby.

As Angelina wakes up she stretches and smiles as the sunshine beams over her face. "Any sign of Leon yet?"

Blaze shakes her head "he should be back soon with more poultry, I guess any bird is all we can eat here right now".

Angelina: "You don't have to lie to me, I know he has gone to bury his sister".

The baby starts crying as Blaze awkwardly hands it over to its mother.

Blaze: "She's beautiful" she smiles.

Angelina: "Thank you, and thank you for staying here with us after what happened with Rudra. I get the feeling though that Leon is disappointed."

Blaze: "Why?" she looks down at her concerned.

Angelina: "I think he'd wanted a boy, I don't know".

Blaze: "Just be grateful she is here, a few weeks early but she's surviving. You both have a family now that is enough to be thankful for."

Angelina: "I'm sorry"

Blaze shakes her head "I don't need a family, I got myself" she gets up as she notices Shiva returning.

Shiva: "It's not safe here, the soldiers are close by. How are you feeling?" He asks Angelina

Angelina: "I'm ok, I can walk" she struggles to lift herself off the ground as Shiva helps her up whilst Blaze takes the baby wrapped up.

Blaze: "The three of you should get out of here and head back to somewhere safe".

Angelina: "No where is safe! How can we go back home?"

Blaze: "You heard what Rudra said about their new powerful city and about your child".

Shiva shakes his head "our daughter is not the chosen one".

Blaze: "How can you be so sure?"

Shiva: "Last night the sky was empty. The seven stars never appeared like they did when you were born".

Blaze: "We both know this is all myth and bullshit! The people here believe anything they can, there is no such chosen one that exists. All of our power is limited and with fault. Get out of here and save your family, I have to find my friends they're in danger! The second tracker that Rudra planted was placed in the phone I gave to Zan".

Shiva: "You can't defeat them on your own, you heard Kato you have less than three days!"

Blaze: "I'm going under and your right, I can't but I'm not gonna drag your family and my friends down with me. The syndicate here are after me, if we split up you and your family have the chance to escape".

Shiva: "If your plan doesn't work, if the time comes where you have to fight Yamato Kato, fight close to him. You will see his daggers coming before they strike, do not keep your distance". He hands over the bag containing Oshiro's head.

Blaze: "Thanks. Get Angelina and your baby out of here, your better off heading West back towards the coast and away from the new city".

Shiva: "Once I get them to safety I'll try and find Axel".

Blaze: "I don't know if he's even still alive! But I have this". She pulls out the pills that Adam gave her with one containing a tracker.

Shiva: "What's that?"

Blaze: "The back up plan. Once I break the seal on this and take this pill, this tracker will activate and Adam and Murphy will know where I am and that I am in trouble. Once Angelina and the baby are safe, if you can get to a cell phone or a fax machine use this card to contact Adam. They have a ship and a helicopter that can get you out of here in time. Give him a way of contacting you and if I get in trouble there is a chance he can send you my location before it's too late. That's if you are still here".

Shiva: "I understand. Be careful".

They shake hands for the first time acknowledging they are on the same side now before they part ways in the opposite directions. 

* * *

The streets Blaze walks along once she enters the city are clean and new yet familiar and mapped out with every block identical to Wood Oak City. The sky is dark and quiet right now but all of the street lights are new and bright amongst the cold breeze of winter air at night.

Blaze stands on guard as she knows she is not alone right now.

She quickly ducks as a ninja jumps out from behind her along with six thugs who surround her and try to attack using their knives. Blaze is quick to dodge their efforts using her cartwheel kick and vertical slash once she is surrounded to cause as much damage as possible. She uses her chi to burn the ninja who gets back up and summersaults towards her. She defeats the remaining fighters with ease as they throw punches, blades and kicks but each time Blaze has the upper hand with her speed and agility.

She places her hands around one of the thugs necks and puts pressure around it.

Blaze: "Show me where the rebels are being held".

"Fuck you bitch!" he replies before she immediately breaks his neck and kills him. Blaze then walks over to another gang member laying on the floor. "Do I really need to ask again this time?" She questions him as he surrenders and shows her the way to Mr X's headquarters.


	15. Chapter 15- Escape plan

**Chapter 15**

Blaze waits patiently amongst the crowds with her dark hood concealing her face outside of the brand new City Hall at 9am the next morning. She has watched Mr X and Electra's every movement since a thug known as Garcia showed her the way to their hideout. When he became useless she killed him as well as two of the Lima soldiers who figured out what they were doing.

As Blaze looks around it is hard to tell if the people here are genuine- clones, robots or normal citizens. Many of Lima's civilians are still present but it is known that many have been manipulated and brain washed by the syndicate. The natives usually have dark rough skin and piercing green eyes. Many of whom have facial and postural abnormalities due to the effects of the radiation that Lima was once exposed to several decades ago by atomic bombs.

Mr X stands at the podium outside of City Hall with Electra by his side as the crowds give their obligatory cheer to them.

"Good morning Lima!" He shouts out. "Today is a beautiful day and we have news of our development in agriculture, narcotics production and robotic factories that our nation is working hard on to expand. We are about to become the wealthiest city in the world and it's all thanks to you and your sacred traditions." An applause is given before he continues.

"As you know my mother was born a Lima native and she loved and cared for this beautiful part of the world. When the war with Wood Oak broke out our family were forced to leave but I made a promise, I made a promise to return and complete what she set out to do in making this country prosper again!"

The crowds cheer.

"I know that today is a very sacred day for our nation, tonight is a full moon and to celebrate our victories we must have a sacrifice ready for the stars".

Suddenly mothers in the crowd start pushing forward their daughters to offer them. The people start to become chaotic as dozens of sacrifices put forward try to resist but are then taken away as prisoners by the soldiers.

"Thank you for your offering" Mr X continues with his speech as the people below him become louder.

Blaze takes the opportunity to sneak away past City Hall and a couple of blocks away to where Max, Zan and Sammy are being held prisoner. She waits patiently whilst watching two of the men in black suits standing on guard outside the doors. As she runs forward one of them shoots but Blaze is fast enough to react and dodge his bullet. She then uses her chi to fire forward at them in the face before she grapples one of the guards and kicks the other in the chest down to the ground. She takes his gun and immediately shoots the two of them in the head. Blaze then runs into the building knowing that there is not much time as the commotion outside would have alerted any fighters as well as officers stationed with Mr X outside of City Hall.

She runs as fast as possible through the elevator and into the lower basement, shooting anyone who stands in her way. Once the elevator opens she spots six thugs with bats and knives who try to ambush Blaze. Her chi and speed are enough to defeat them as she grapples one fighter after another, throwing them on top of each other and slamming their heads onto the concrete floor.

A minute later and Blaze catches her breath then runs towards Sammy and Max who are tied up against the wall in their own cells. Once she is there, she uses her chi to break one of the locks.

"Blaze!" Sammy shouts with hope.

"Im gonna get you out of here" she anxiously replies as she figures out how to untie him "where is Zan?"

Max: "I don't know. You need to leave this place right now!"

Blaze: "I'm not going anywhere until I get the three of you out of here"

Max: "But it's a trap!" he shouts as the wires tying his hands together electrocute him. Blaze looks down at Max in disbelief as she drops her gun on the floor and places her hands in the air.

"Put your hands up higher where I can see them or your friends die" the familiar voice behind her orders.

Blaze turns around to find Electra holding a gun to her head.

"I'm sorry" Max says with guilt as he looks up at Blaze from his cell "I had no choice".

Blaze: "I know" she replies understandingly.

"Empty her weapons then take her to the boss" Electra orders the rest of her security as they drag Blaze outside onto the streets towards City Hall.

"Your mistake honey was putting your friends first" Electra smirks at Blaze.

"Fuck you!" Blaze replies as she is dragged up the steps towards the podium where Mr X is standing. The crowd now become silent and eager to know what is happening.

Mr X switches off his microphone and glares at her for the first time in months. "You honestly think I didn't know about your little plan? To turn my allies against me? Kato set you up and you fell for the bait and now you've finally returned to where you belong".

Blaze is speechless in shock as she tries to resist the security surrounding her when Mr X turns switches the microphone back on to address the crowds.

Mr X: "Ladies and gentlemen, we have an imposter amongst us. Someone who is convinced the holy place of Lima belongs to her, someone who claims she is the chosen one that will liberate the people!"

The crowds in their thousands stay silent and wait in anticipation to hear what Blaze has to say.

Mr X: "Well? What do you have to say to your people then?" The guards push Blaze forward towards the podium.

She pauses with annoyance and hate in her eyes then finally responds.

"This man here is a traitor. He works with your enemies the Yamato, he destroyed Wood Oak City and he will do the same to you. He's offering you wealth, development, education and he can provide those things but they're all at the cost of your freedom!"

The crowd start to boo and whistle as she fails to convince them. A good half a minute goes by as Mr X smirks at Blaze's failure.

Suddenly she silences them as she projects a large energy ball that brings down a statue of General Petrov next to City Hall's steps.

Blaze continues as the people now stand in silence. "I know you respected my uncle, the General. But he was a traitor and a fake just like that man standing here". The crowd of people gasp as Blaze pulls out Yamato Oshiro's head from a bag.

Blaze: "You should be kneeling right now as I am the chosen one!"

She waits awkwardly in silence as Mr X sarcastically claps and grins in response to her efforts. "I gotta admit, you almost had them there under your wing with that motivational speech. Turn around Blaze".

She drops the decapitated head and slowly turns and looks behind her to find all three Yamato warriors standing at the entrance to city hall next to the last barrel of Blaze's power. She observes in disbelief that Oshiro is still alive.

"You liar!" Blaze shouts towards the three warriors when she realises they had double crossed her. "Fight me now!" She shouts as she tries to project her chi but it is no use, they dodge her efforts with ease as more guards step in to restrain Blaze.

Mr X: "Sorry but the people here will only ever bow to the chosen one, and unfortunately for you that person doesn't exist".

Blaze: "I'll kill you for everything!" she shouts out with frustration as Mr X turns back to address the crowds.

Mr X: "As you can see, we have made peace with your ancient rulers who urge the people here to continue their legacy and sacred traditions. We encourage everyone here to discover their own inner chi. Our three warriors here have agreed to leave Lima in peace as long as it stays under my rule and as long as we follow our ancient traditions and roots."

He grins and continues "in fact we will start with the most sacred of them all tonight. I believe we have found our sacrifice!" He glares at Blaze eagerly as the crowds below them cheer.

Blaze: "No! No you can't do this!" She tries to break free but is injected in the neck when she resists. The noise of thousands become silent as soon as she blacks out before she is carried away numb to be held as prisoner.

General Chozan addresses Mr X with urgency as Blaze is taken away. "Sir, we have a problem. I need you to come with me right away".

Mr X: "What's going on?"

He whispers in Mr X's ear for a moment before he is efficiently escorted away from City Hall by his security team. The three Yamato warriors vanish in a blink of an eye away from the scene whilst Electra is then taken away by the rest of security following Mr X.

Electra: "What's going on?" She asks with fear in her voice but no one responds. The priority right now is to get them to safety as quickly as possible. 

* * *

Axel throws the rest of his army uniform down on the ground along with an array of knives, guns and ammunition he managed to accumulate. He washes his bloodstained neck and hands as he looks into the small blurry mirror on the wall. He managed to remove a bullet wound from his shoulder and does his best to ignore the pain caused from it once his shoulder is wrapped. The apartment he broke into an hour ago is still empty. Possibly it once belonged to a Lima soldier who is either dead or on duty. There he found a change of clothes that easily fits- jeans, t-shirt, jacket and sneakers as well as food, water and a shower. For him it is now much easier to blend into the crowds as anyone who spots Axel in his own military uniform will be onto him straight away.

Axel wraps his hands in bandages before he removes his fighting gloves from his bag to place over them. The only other thing he keeps with him are his dog tags where he tucks his chain under his shirt. His arms and hands appear to be heavily cut and in pain as Axel looks out of the tiny window on the top floor of an old building down at the panicking streets below. 

* * *

_2 hours earlier._

The entrance of the police headquarters shatters as Axel takes a bat and breaks the glass surrounding the ground floor. An array of officers immediately shoot at him but he fires his chi towards them which hits the circuit board in the corner that explodes and causes chaos in the building once the sprinklers and alarm activate due to the fire he started.

Amongst the smoke and bullets, he grabs a police officer injured on the floor along with his gun that Axel holds against his back. "Where the fuck is the armoury? Take me there now!" The officer stays silent in fear as they quietly walk downstairs towards the armoury. He also shoots any officer who gets in the way as they quickly move downstairs. With the morning speech being made at City Hall, Axel knows that the majority of Lima's police are over there right now tending to Mr X whilst there are only a handful left stationed at the police headquarters.

"Open the door!" He orders the officer who is trembling outside of the armoury. Within seconds Axel quickly takes anything he can from handguns to glock pistols. He also grabs hold of any ammunition to load them. Whilst doing so the officer with him signals the alarm to alert any law enforcement elsewhere. "Bad move" Axel comments before he shoots the officer in the head.

As he leaves with a bag of weapons and grenades, he hears another officer shout "US army! Stop him now!"

Unfortunately Axel falls to the ground as a bullet strikes him through the shoulder on the way to the exit. Through the smoke and darkness he then takes a grenade and throws it towards the shooter ten metres away. He then fires his chi as he gets up and runs as the whole building around him explodes into a frenzy.

As Axel runs outside to escape, he uses his chi and opens fire other buildings around him. He damages governmental institutes by setting them alight with more ease than a professional arsonist. He creates as much destruction as possible with his chi before he escapes once more officers start to appear in the area to try and find him. Axel knows that he has to urgently make it to somewhere safe as he is injured.

Whilst police sirens draw in closer, Axel finds an alley leading to a gated neighbourhood next to a church. He throws the bag of ammunition over the gate then climbs over it quietly without being seen. He spots an old man leaving an electrical door that leads into a block of apartments. Axel nods at the old man and keeps his head down whilst concealing his weapons as a thank you for opening the door. The man obliviously walks on by without paying any attention to Axel or his uniform.

He makes his way to the top of the building three floors up with his ear briefly listening out for any civilians who may be within the four apartments at the top of this underdeveloped building. Once he realises the one on the corner is empty, in a sweat whilst staying calm, he picks the lock and closes the door behind him to finally breathe a sigh of relief.


	16. Chapter 16- Sacrifice

**Chapter 16**

 _#Smack#_

The sound as Soozie slaps Blaze across the face whilst she sits tied up to a chair.

"You don't know how long I've wanted to do that!" Soozie grins at Blaze.

Blaze: "What's wrong? Still jealous?"

Soozie: "You think you're so beautiful and intelligent don't you? You're nothing Blaze compared to me".

Blaze: "It must hurt knowing that all that time he was with you, he really wanted to be with me"

Soozie: "Believe it or not I cared about Axel. Now he's gone and the two of us are here. I'd wipe that smirk off your face you're not going to be alive for much longer".

Blaze: "Is that a threat? Why don't we see how much of a fighter you really are?" She challenges Soozie to untie her.

"Soozie!" Electra summons her as she turns around.

Blaze grins: "go on, run away puppet".

Electra steps forward with her team of female fighters. "You need to wear this for later". She throws over to Blaze a long black dress made of silk and satin. The type of dress you would wear to a ball or red carpet event. Blaze stares at Electra blankly with hate.

Electra: "Make sure her hands remain tied straight after putting this on" she orders her entourage before returning to lock eyes with Blaze "oh and I wouldn't try anything at this point. Max and Sammy have our full attention".

Blaze responds annoyingly: "I hear you loud and clear".

"Good" Electra replies then turns to walk away.

Suddenly Blaze starts struggling to breathe.

"What's wrong with her?" Soozie questions Electra.

Electra: "I think she's having an asthma attack. Bring me her jacket!" she looks surprised.

Electra grabs Blaze by the chin "this better not be a fake you hear me?" as she struggles to breathe even more.

"Here" Soozie says as she hands the inhaler to Blaze once her hands are untied. She takes a puff every 10 seconds three times before calmly getting her breath back and placing her hands in the air.

Electra: "Tie her hands again!" she orders once the ordeal is over.

Blaze: "Wait!"

Electra: "What now?" she responds irritated.

Blaze: "I have to take my pills otherwise I'll get another attack". Blaze realises her plan of faking an asthma attack is working and this may be the only opportunity she has to activate and swallow the tracker that Adam gave her when she left Wood Oak City. All this time it has been inactive and hidden carefully as a pill, eliminating the chance of any scanners or human searches picking it up.

Electra: "Where are these pills of yours?"

Blaze: "My jacket pocket" she says as she locks eyes with Soozie.

Electra glances down at her with caution as she opens the pack and pulls out a sleeve of pills. She pops open the pill in the top right corner and inspects it. "Call Dr Dham, I know nothing about these. She might try and kill herself before we make her suffer I want him to inspect this".

Soozie hands over a cell phone to Electra who shows the Dr the packet and the pill over her camera.

She then returns to Blaze "Prednisolone huh? I'd be careful, these could give you mood swings." She then continues her conversation with Dr Dham. "How many does she need to take?"

"Eight". His voice echoes over the speaker phone.

"Very well" Electra says as she finishes the call. "Get her a cup of water" she orders as she throws over the sleeve of pills.

Blaze starts to take them two by two "what is this amusing for you?" She comments as she catches Electra staring.

"Nah I have better things to do right now. Tie her hands back together once she is done and changed!" Electra says before she leaves the room.

Blaze stares down at the last two pills including the one placed in the bottom left hand corner of the tablet sleeve. Once she activates the tracker and swallows it, she knows that she only has half an hour before it poisons her. Without a second thought, Blaze takes the pill then stares up at the clock on the wall- 7:03pm. 

* * *

The city walls all the way from the amusement park to the bridge burn many of the clean cut pavements and broken glass buildings of Mr X's brand new duplicate of Wood Oak city. The air is full of smoke that dominates the night sky as crowds of people surround City Hall to demand answers from their new leaders. Sirens can be heard throughout the city as emergency services battle with the fires.

"I told you this was a curse!" A superstitious old lady says to her husband standing in the cold next to her. "We left our rural homelands for this when _he_ promised us a better life and sanctuary" she refers to Mr X.

"The fire that burns our city is no ordinary fire!" One well known man in the community stands before the crowds in the absence of Mr X. "That fire is power from the universe! We are being punished for our choices. There will be no sacrifice tonight!" The crowd of people shout in agreement.

Axel stands in a black hooded sweater a couple of feet behind the old couple in the crowd. He scans every corner surrounding City Hall, observing any security present as he waits patiently for Mr X or Electra to make an appearance. 

* * *

07:11pm.

To Blazes' surprise, three Kung Fu fighters storm into the room after she has changed. They take her by the arms and escort her up a set of stairs.

"I wanna see my friends released before I do this!" Blaze angrily says to them.

"You're no longer being sacrificed, well at least for tonight" Fabio responds to her.

"I knew it! You're taking me to Dr Dham aren't you? You fucking assholes can't get by without my power. You're lucky my hands are tied!"

"Shut up and keep walking towards the car!" The fighter nudges her forward as Blaze takes the opportunity to look into the distance towards City Hall. She immediately notices the smoke in the air and the array of buildings on fire. It is cold right now in this dress under her jacket.

"The people of Lima seem to be objecting to your sacrifice despite your little epidemic in front of them earlier" Mr X greets her as he stands with his arms crossed learning against the black car they are about to put Blaze into.

She starts to laugh hysterically in reaction to his comment as the fighters who are present look at each other with confusion. Blaze steps forward with her hands tied to glance at the burning city in front of them before she locks eyes with Mr X, this time with zero fear. "You know he will kill you for everything. You remember how it felt when my power burnt you the first time? Unlike me, Axel has no mercy. It doesn't matter what you do to me, when he finds you he will kill you." She continues to laugh as she is forced into the car.

"You forget that Max, Sammy and Zan are still my hostages. Take her to Dr Dham!" he orders as a black sack is placed over Blaze's head before the car speeds away. 

* * *

Electra readies herself to address the pessimistic crowd of people outside of City Hall on this cold, dark evening. Before stepping out she glances around and notices her security are nowhere to be seen.

"Donovan? Julio?" She shouts out and anxiously looks around from the side of City Hall where she has been waiting for her cue. As she starts to walk towards the podium, she notices a gun pressing against her back.

"You were as good as dead!" Electra says with hate to Axel standing behind her.

Axel: "Take me to Mr X right now!"

Electra: "I can't do that, he and Dr Dham are in a hidden location right now that even I don't know about".

Axel: "Cut the bullshit!"

Electra: "What you gonna do? Shoot me here in front of all of these people?"

Axel: "If your boss is miles away right now with no security left, whose gonna do anything about it? He's really left you here to clean up his shit hasn't he?"

Electra sighs: "My priority is to stop the fires, our people are in danger so you need to let me go".

Axel: "The only person who can stop that fire is me. Take me to Mr X and I'll spare your life".

Electra: "I told you he's gone! He's fled this part of the city and left his people!"

Axel forces the gun to the back of Electra's head and readies the trigger as she shuts her eyes tightly. Suddenly Mr X and his security team appear from around the corner where they are all hidden from the crowds' view at the front of City Hall.

"You were always smart like your father" Mr X praises Axel as he continues to hold the gun to Electra's head.

"Order them to leave!" Axel responds as he refers to the rest of Mr X's security.

"Do it! Or she dies" he insists.

Mr X proceeds and nods at his security who drop their weapons on the floor and walk away in this tense moment. Axel discretely takes out a small needle that he placed in the back of Electra's neck a moment ago where she suddenly collapses to the floor.

"She's not dead, she's passed out" Axel comments as he turns the gun on Mr X. The two of them stand facing each other alone in silence and unpredictability.

"You know, that's the first time I've witnessed you using your Ninjutsu knowledge right there" Mr X refers to Axel's trick with the needle.

Mr X: "It's such a crying shame how you once fought like them with so much honour and pride. Your father took that away and turned you into a street fighter!"

Axel lights up a flame in his right hand whilst the left hand holds the gun resting in front of Mr X's forehead.

Axel: "I'm not like any other fighter you know, Ninja or street fighter I'm more". Mr X starts to feel the intensity of Axel's power next to his face.

Mr X: "I am at your mercy, I'm sure you will take much justice in killing me but there's something you should know first".

Axel: "What?"

Mr X whistles as two Yakuza fighters bring forward Sammy who is tied up with masking tape over his mouth.

Axel: "I swear if you harm him I'll.."

Mr X: "Kill me and the boy dies. Surrender yourself and he lives, and I cancel any more destruction over Wood Oak City. This war ends today".

Axel: "We both know you're working with the American government, either way you both wanna cleanse Wood Oak and destroy everything there".

One of the Yakuza men holds a cell phone on loud speaker with Dr Dahm on the other line.

Mr X: "Dr, put Robot Y and our energy missile on standby".

Axel: "Energy missile?"

Mr X smirks: "I had it made using the last barrel of Blaze's chi with over 10 kilos of Rakushin. The last of its kind that will wipe out Wood Oak City for good. So either you come with me and surrender, or kill me or you will be responsible for the death of millions of people as well as your friend here".

Axel: "you're lying"

Mr X: "Are you really willing to take that risk?"

Axel swallows his pride, lowers his gun and cuts out the flame in his hand. Immediately Mr X's fighters run back in to take his weapons and tie his hands. Both Axel and Sammy are forced to wear black bags over their heads so that they cannot see where they are going and Axel is scanned with a detector for any other weapons or tracking devices.

"He's clear" one of Mr X's signals says as he finishes scanning Axel.

"Your gonna be ok, you hear me?" These are the last words that Sammy hears from Axel as the boy is forced into another car whilst trying to hide his fear.


	17. Chapter 17- The fire within

**Chapter 17**

Blaze anxiously looks up at the clock in the hall at the entrance to Dr Dahm's RoboCy headquarters. Another security guard uses a detector to scan Blaze for any sharp objects or tracking devices as a precaution on entry to the building.

"All clear" he reassures Dr Dahm as she is escorted into the building through to a locked empty room.

"Keep her here for now" Dr Dahm orders.

19:27 the clock reads. It hasn't even been thirty minutes but already Blaze feels light headed and sick from the tracking device she swallowed.

"What's wrong with you?" The guard asks her.

Blaze responds whilst looking at the floor: "I really have to use the bathroom. Please can we get out of this room?"

He laughs and hands over to her a bucket "I ain't falling for that one, bosses strict orders you are to stay here under my watch".

Blaze stares up at him from the floor as she kicks away the basket.

"I thought you were desperate" the fighter comments.

Either way Blaze needs to get out of here now or the tracking device inside her stomach will kill her.

Blaze: "It's not that"

"What do you mean then?" The guard says.

Blaze: "You'd never understand being a man"

"Ohhh!" he responds.

Blaze: "No bucket will fix that and I'm getting really cranky now so just take me to the bathroom!..Please."

"Ok!" He gives in "but you got five minutes".

"Thank you" Blaze charmingly smiles as he opens the door and escorts her to the ladies restroom. They stand for a moment outside.

"What are you waiting for?" He asks.

Blaze looks down at her hands as they are still tied so he loosens the wire for a moment whilst pointing a gun towards her. "Hurry up" he says.

She opens the door to the restroom where three old toilets with their own concrete walls are situated adjacent to one another. There are no windows or fire doors so there is no way of escaping, only a vent high up which is too high for Blaze to reach.

She immediately storms into one of the toilets whilst grabbing a bar of soap to help herself throw up. In a sweat and panic she eventually throws up the now eroded tracking device into the toilet where it floats and flashes red every five seconds.

She notices that the toilet next to hers has a sign on the door saying 'out of order' so she pulls off the card and places it on the closed lid of the toilet in front of her so that no one flushes it or uses it whilst the tracking device is left inside it.

"Hurry up" she whispers to herself in the hope that Adam or Shiva will be there soon to help them escape Lima.

As Blaze exits the restroom, her hands are retied and she is taken back to the empty room she was in. She scans every part of the building they pass to think of an escape route.

"Where's Sammy, Max and Zan?" she asks the guard.

"They'll be joining you soon, don't worry they are still alive. For now". 

* * *

"Counting 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…" Dr Dahm's machine is activated as Axel sits in the centre of his lab with his arms hooked up to the same device that was used over nine months ago to extract Blaze's chi.

"This is extraordinary!" The Dr observes with Mr X standing next to him.

Mr X: "What can his power do?"

Dr Dahm: "It has the same intensity as the electrical chi we took from Blaze but its effects on the Rakushin will be different. Perhaps we can start the process now?"

Mr X: "Yes, but he is to be remained unharmed".

Dr Dahm: "Of course sir".

Mr X walks back into the lab towards Axel.

Axel: "I need to know that Sammy is ok before I do this".

Mr X nods in agreement as two fighters step forward with Sammy in front of them unharmed.

Sammy shouts out to his friend: "Don't do this! They'll make more weapons with your power! I'm not afraid to die".

Axel: "Shut up kid!" His eyes shut in pain as Dr Dahm injects him with adrenaline and finishes wiring his arms up to the machine.

Dr Dahm: "The adrenaline should kick in any moment now".

He and Mr X stand back and observe as Axel's blood is drawn which then travels through six tubes towards the metallic barrel.

Dr Dahm comments: "Hmmm that's strange".

Mr X: "What?"

Dr Dahm: "His blood has not transitioned yet into chi. He needs more adrenaline".

His scientist injects Axel's arm with another shot as he resists awake from the pain and feelings whilst staying in control of his chi.

Dr Dahm becomes more and more impatient as seconds go by. "Fuck! Still no change, only normal blood being drawn".

Mr X: "He's fighting it and holding in his power" he observes as Axel clenches his teeth and tries to breathe through the pain.

Dr Dahm: "If we give him any more adrenaline his heart will stop, already his pulse is increasing".

The warning bleeps off the device continue to get faster and louder as Axel's heart races.

Mr X: "Switch off the machine!"

The Dr immediately deactivates it and the tubes are removed from Axel's forearms to stop the bleeding. Suddenly the lab explodes into an inferno as two large intense flames are released from Axel's arms that burn any scientists standing around him as well as the surrounding equipment. Several mini explosions follow including the destruction of the main device as Mr X and Dr Dahm take cover further away. His power completely wrecks the lab in front of them as the sprinklers and alarm are activated.

Once the fires are cut down, at least ten fighters run into the lab as Axel collapses and lays motionless on the floor with his energy depleted for a moment. They pull him up to his feet and tie his hands as he grins in amusement at Dr Dahm.

Dr Dahm: "You destroyed my work and research you bastard! Take him away!"

Axel responds: "It's you who made the mistake. Our chi comes from the brain and travels into the blood. You should have done your research first".

Dr Dahm speaks privately with Mr X as Axel is taken away as prisoner.

"He's destroyed our device! It will take months to build another of its kind!"

Mr X: "Smart son of a bitch! He blocked his chi from travelling through his blood stream then released it after we disconnected him. This is something unheard of! Only a Yamato warrior would have this level of control over their power. I'll make sure he pays for this!"

Electra responds to her boss from behind "shall I send my fighters to his cell to cut his skin or electrocute him? We'll keep going until he cooperates with us."

Mr X: "No. This time round it's different. I know him and what makes him tick. Axel is even harder to get to than Blaze was. No amount of physical pain inflicted on him will break him it will only make him stronger."

Electra: "Then how do we fix this? He has to be punished for that stunt he just pulled!"

Mr X: "Have him cleaned up and rested, I want him to be fully awake and alert for what I have in store next. Rest assured, he will suffer for this". 

* * *

Axel wakes up in a cold dark room with concrete walls. It feels like a truck has hit him across the head as he recovers from his adrenaline rush. Suddenly a bright white light switches on and the door starts to open. He tries and succeeds in breaking the wire apart around his wrists so that he can release his chi until he notices the person walking through the door. His eyes are blinded by the bright white light as he stands up feeling slightly disorientated but he recognises the scent and voice of the person standing in front of him.

"Axel? Are you ok?" Soozie rushes over towards him to help him stand up off the floor.

Soozie: "I can't believe you're here it's been months since I saw you. I thought about you every single day. I'll get us out of here I promise".

He turns his back towards her.

Axel: "No, don't pretend you're on my side, I know you're working with them, I've known a while now".

Soozie looks at him pleading in her eyes "you don't understand, I was forced to be here! Yes I was working part of Neo Chaos as a bar woman but Mr X killed our boss Yasha and placed Electra in charge. I don't wanna be here any more than you do but they'll kill me if I don't follow. Now that you're here everything is different. I know an escape route we can use."

Axel: "I'm not going anywhere. My friends are here in Lima and they will come for me soon, besides they have Sammy held prisoner here and I'm not leaving him".

Soozie: "I know where he is. If we work together we can get him out of here and the three of us can escape. You and me, we're still a team aren't we?" She draws in closer, hoping for reassurance as she wraps her arms around him when they hug for a moment.

Soozie whispers in his ear as she rests her ear on his shoulder "I've missed you".

To her surprise, Axel pulls out a device from under her headband and holds it up in front of her before he pushes her away.

Axel: "They sent you in here to spy on me and gain information".

Soozie: "No, no it's not like that! That bug was something else I was wearing it for the rest of Neo Chaos, we will upraise against the syndicate".

Axel laughs at her ridiculous lie as she falls apart under pressure.

Axel: "Let's get one thing clear Soozie, you and me were never a team". He readies a ball of fire in his palm as eight other fighters enter the room behind her including Electra.

Soozie's demeanour instantly changes: "well that's a shame. You always had too much of an ego, I hope they make you and your friend suffer as long as possible" she grins then walks away.

Electra stands with her arms folded as she stares at Axel where he is dragged away by several fighters.

Axel: "Come on then, give it your best shot" he says to her.

She shakes her head "No, unfortunately your fate is not in my hands but I would make you suffer if I could" she cracks her whip on the ground in front of him.

Electra: "Take him to the boss, he has dinner prepared for our guests."


	18. Chapter 18- The decision

**Chapter 18**

Axel is led into a large dining hall on the top floor of RoboCy's headquarters up thirty levels in an elevator. The glass view of Lima's new city is stunning however lacking in authenticity. He stands guarded next to Electra and four other fighters.

Electra: "Well? What do you think?"

Axel: "You know what they say about copies, they're always one step behind originals. It might look like Wood Oak City but it will never be the same".

She bites her tongue then responds "this city will never have the faults that Wood Oak had. We are an independent state full of power, both in technology and the people's sacred traditions".

Axel: "Careful, you're starting to sound like Mr X"

Electra: "What is that supposed to mean?"

Axel: "Sooner or later he'll realize how hungry you are for his power".

The elevator opens out into a large entrance with panoramic views that leads to a separate dining room. On the way there the smell of fresh fish and baking surrounds them. The shutters to the large dining room block any natural light from outside whilst the chandeliers in the centre light up the room. It contains a large antique dining table, red carpets and walls full of paintings and sculptures plus the table is set with expensive china, cutlery and a long display of candles.

The first person Axel notices is Mr X standing at the head of the table in his grey suit smoking a cigar. The whole table is surrounded by security men and women holding guns and machetes whilst the room itself is enclosed by over twenty Lima soldiers standing guard outside. He glances around the table and to his shock Axel sees Max, Sammy and Dr Zan sat down at the table in silence. Max in fact is almost unrecognisable where his face has been beaten, swollen in blood and bruises. He has had his fair share of fights in the past and can take a hit but it is clear that they have tortured him to his limit.

Zan also looks like he has seen better days. He appears to be oblivious to the fact that Axel is in the room as he stares into space in his own world, barely acknowledging his friend. The only normal person of the three is Sammy who is sat in the middle of Zan and Max. He is always the one who tries to convince the others that he is tough but even today his face is full of fear with his character shaken.

Mr X is the first to break the silence in the room "well? Aren't you going sit with us?" Axel takes one last glance around estimating 20 fighters present including Soozie, Fabio, Signals as well as clones that Dahm created including Donovan and Galsia.

He takes another look at his friends "what have you done to them?!" responding with anger to Mr X.

Axel shrugs off the two fighters behind him then runs over towards his friends. He places his hand on Zan's shoulder "Zan? What did they do to you?" But the old man is unresponsive and stares up at him blankly with confusion.

Axel then demands answers from his friend Max. "Max? What's going on? How the hell did they…?"

Mr X interrupts "I would recommend you sit down now and I will explain".

Axel: "Fuck you!" He turns back towards Max "How long has he kept you here? Where's Adam and Blaze?"

Max shakes his head then looks up at his friend "just do what he says, please" as Axel stares back at him with deep concern on his face. He swallows his pride then sits on the other side of the table opposite his friends.

"That's better" Mr X comments as he remains standing with his fighters positioned behind them.

"You know your friends here are very loyal" he continues "they never once gave you up no matter how many times we asked them".

Axel: "Why is Zan unresponsive?"

Mr X: "That you will have to ask to Dr Dahm who is in the control room right now getting ready to launch our energy missile. I suspect he wiped Gilbert's memory in preparation for his full robotic transformation. Clever isn't it? Even the likes of Donovan and Kadeem who you see in this room have been reborn from Dahm's technologies through DNA and cloning, the same way we constructed Robot X when you thought I was dead".

Axel: "Let my friends go, you have me here and they're useless to you". He says as wine is poured into the glasses around the table.

Mr X sits and continues "Max on the other hand was different. We tested every measure of torture on him that we were going to use on you in case it killed him. He's as strong as they get but even the strongest fighters have their own weaknesses. We used electrocution, skin cutting, crushing ribs, water boarding- you name it! Sammy over there had the opportunity to watch all of it even when we fed the needle through to Zan's skull. Please, no wine for the boy" Mr X stops the waiter from pouring Sammy a glass of red as he takes a sip of his own drink.

Axel locks eyes with Sammy and the others whilst feeling a sense of guilt and responsibility at the ordeal his friends have faced.

Axel: "So what now then?" He questions his enemy.

Mr X: "That will be up to you I guess. Zan is as good as gone, Max will never physically fight again and clearly the young boy over there is traumatised all because they came here to search for you. They endured so many sacrifices along the way right Max? My army killed Eliza too".

Max looks up at Axel with a tear in his eye.

Axel: "I'm sorry" he whispers across the table in shock before he turns back to face Mr X.

"Let them go and I will give you all the fire power you want".

Mr X shakes his head "we already tried that didn't we? You destroyed my lab and creation to extract your power I think that deserves a punishment first".

Axel holds his hands up "ok, do what you gotta do then. Just let them go".

Mr X: "We both know that's not enough to break you like it broke your friends here". Axel sighs with hate in his eyes as a platter of food- fish, turkey, vegetables, stuffing plus more is brought to the table.

Mr X: "I figured all of you here missed Thanksgiving and what with Christmas around the corner let's feast on the sacrifices we have made as well as those we are about to make!" He laughs as the food is distributed onto their plates by servers.

Mr X is quick to tuck into his turkey "well? Don't just stare! Eat your food then!" he shouts as Max, Sammy, Zan and Axel stare down at their plates without touching their food.

Mr X: "Oh yes how rude of me! We've started without our final guest." He finishes his next mouthful then claps his hands together twice as four soldiers escort Blaze into the room with a gun held behind her. They silently force her to sit her down opposite Axel on the other side of the table next to Mr X as the head of the table and Zan adjacent to her. She is the only person in the room with her hands still tied.

Blaze and Axel lock eyes with one another exposing any fear they are feeling. One part of her is relieved to see him alive after three months, the other part is doubtful that either of them will make it out of here alive.

Mr X: "Well at least someone came dressed for the occasion" he refers to her wearing the long black dress as Fabio holds a glass of wine under her lips to sip.

Mr X: "As I was saying…"

His sentence again is interrupted as Blaze purposely spits out her drink at Mr X, staining his suit as his mood switches from composed to irritated.

Blaze: "what can I say? You have shit taste" she glares at him with hate as Axel gives her a proud grin from across the table.

Mr X quietly stands up as Electra hands him a napkin to wipe his shirt.

Mr X: "shit taste? SHIT TASTE?" he loses it and drags the table cloth back as the sound of plates and glasses smash on the floor. The others quickly stand and are pulled back with guns against their heads as Mr X pushes over the table breaking more plates. This time the whole platter with the turkey at the centre crashes onto the ground with several broken glasses.

The five of them are forced away from the dining table and are led into the next room by the syndicate fighters and soldiers with Max, Blaze, Zan and Sammy each being held at gun point.

"Time to play my game now". Mr X aggressively says.

As they enter his office, Max, Zan, Sammy and Blaze are lined up next to each other.

"Your efforts to sabotage my plans earlier need to be punished" Mr X says to Axel.

Axel: "I told you, do what you want with me, beat me to death, take as much chi as you want this is between you and me not them".

Mr X shakes his head "that's all too easy and yes, I will do all those things but right now the fate of Wood Oak City rests with you. Dr Dahm is in the control readying our missile where our target contains millions of people who have returned to Wood Oak City convinced that the war will be over any day now."

Axel: "So instead of killing me my punishment is the destruction of millions of people?"

Mr X: "Well this wouldn't be a game if you didn't have to make a decision. See Wood Oak is a waste land now, our gangs have carved up enough territory for our drugs production plus it is clear that Lima have won the war. It is not in my best interests to destroy the rest of the city but I will if need be."

Axel: "What the fuck do you want then?"

Mr X grins: "I want you to make a decision. Due to your lack of cooperation earlier someone here is about to die. You get to decide who".

Axel: "I told you, kill me and let them go".

Mr X: "It doesn't work like that. All you have to do is give me the name of one of your trusted friends and that missile outside will remain deactivated. Dr Dahm has been given the order to activate our weapon if you choose to fight against me or use your chi." He signals to the security camera in the corner of the ceiling.

Mr X: "I'll give you five minutes to make your choice. Whose it gonna be Stone? Decision time."


	19. Chapter 19- Stage 8

**Chapter 19**

Axel stands in the centre of the room with a heavy heart. He knows that whatever decision he has to make that there will be life-long consequences for it. Better to choose one person you care for than millions of strangers. Or is it?

"Time is ticking" Mr X comments as Axel clenches his fists.

Mr X: "And don't even think about attacking me with a single flame. If you dare to try, that missile will be activated and if you fail to give me an answer in the next three minutes, all your friends here die."

Axel stands still trying his best to contain himself and keep his chi under control as Mr X continues to provoke him.

"I can see it gets even more difficult for you to keep that power under control right now. One flame is all it takes. Why don't I make this easier for you then?" Mr X comments "Zan, step forward".

The others in the room are taken back as Zan immediately follows his orders.

Mr X: "He is my machine now, he serves me only. Perfect in every way yet he ceases to ever be human. Once his transformation is complete he will turn into one hell of a killing machine, a bit like yourself."

Axel: "Why did you do this?"

Mr X: "Zan was my long time enemy. I wonder if he hears you deep inside or if his own mind has fully gone. See that was his weakness, his mind. Now his mind is my own strength. He is an old man so what more can he change in this world? He has done many bad things yet deep down you still care for him. This man was there for you when you needed a teacher, he saved you as a child".

Axel: "You don't know shit about me. He's just an old man, you're playing the wrong game".

Mr X: "hmmm, convincing. Do you think he's suffered enough? Or do you want to save him?" Mr X quizzes.

Axel: "His powers nothing compared to mine, you're wasting your time."

Mr X: "What about the boy then. What is he 16, 17?" his attention turns to Sammy.

Axel: "He's just a kid".

Mr X: "You know me Axel, I never gave a shit about the age of my victims. I've killed younger than him and he won't be the last". Sammy spits at Mr X's face. He quickly regrets it as he is then punched heavily in the stomach which causes him to collapse to the floor.

Max who is stood in line next to Sammy tries to retaliate and help him but he is quickly electrocuted in the back by Electra.

Mr X can't help but heckle: "I gotta admit, the kid here can take a punch but your best friend right here probably peed his pants after that shock".

Sammy: "You can kill me motherfucker, it won't make a fucking difference old man". He speaks out against Mr X.

Mr X grins: "There he is, that Hunter spirit! You sound just like Adam when we imprisoned him here. Where's his big brother now Axel? The way I see it is if you choose the boy to die, you will break your best friend's heart. I gotta admit, it's one hell of a decision you have on your hands". He notices Axel becoming more and more impatient.

Mr X: "That's right, that inner rage of yours wants to escape so bad. That fire inside wants to be released but… you know the drill!"

Max: "Shut the fuck up!.. Don't listen to him Ax"

 _#Punch#._

Mr X takes great satisfaction in punching Max across the face.

Max looks up at his friend "if your gonna make a choice, choose me!"

Mr X: "What do you think huh Axel? After all, your friend here has nothing left, that hot doctor woman of his is dead and you wanna know something? He suffered for it. Why not end that suffering? Oh but it's easy to be in two minds. This guy has done so much for you- bailed you out of bad situations, fought by your side. I mean what's the ultimate friendship betrayal other than to choose him? It bothers you doesn't it?"

Axel responds impatiently: "Like I said, you're wasting your breath! I can't count how many times I've fallen out with Max. He's a liability. I know you're trying to get inside my head but you'll never succeed no matter how much you try."

Mr X shakes his head: "I told you son, one of them has to die".

Axel replies snappishly: "Don't call me that!"

Mr X: "What? Son? Does that get to you?" he laughs as he and his fighters notice Axel maintaining his patience when he shuts his fists tightly in order to contain his chi.

Mr X: "How about choice number four then? The silent one at the end of the line." He walks over to Blaze who is standing with her hands tied and a gun pointing towards her. She turns her head away as he gently strokes her cheek then places his hands around her neck to look at her face.

Mr X: "Oh this one is definitely the most dangerous out of these four. And the prettiest".

Axel: "Get your hands off of her!"

Blaze turns her head towards him as Mr X takes out a knife whilst the thug behind her has to restrain her with a gun against her back.

"Don't listen to anything he says Axel! If you have to make a choice choose me! That missile up there contains my chi and my power. I won't be able to live with myself if my power is responsible for the death of millions you hear me? It's ok, choose me. I'll never hate you for it."

Mr X: "Seems like your girl here would do anything for you. I gave her so many opportunities to trade you and your power in for hers when she was held by us as prisoner in exchange for freedom but she never took it. The things we do for love huh?"

Axel: "Blaze and I split up months ago, just lower the knife and let her go".

Mr X: "but you have to make A CHOICE!" he reiterates this time with his knife pressed against Blaze's neck before his frustration spontaneously turns into amusement. "He doesn't know does he?" Mr X lowers his weapon slowly.

Axel: "What is he talking about?"

Blaze: "Don't listen to him" she pleads as Mr X lights up a cigar, takes a puff then blows the smoke in her face.

Mr X: "You see, Blaze here, she's as tough as they get. You think you're hard to mentally break but her, she's something else. She never stopped plotting her escape or plans to kill me during three whole months when she was my prisoner. No matter how much she starved herself, how much we force fed her, and how much chi we took away, she never once broke down. She's probably even planning an escape route out of here as we speak!"

Axel responds with little enthusiasm: "what's your fucking point?"

Mr X: "Tell them! Tell them about the day I got inside your head!" he shouts as he grabs Blaze by the chin and turns her face towards the others.

She stays silent and resilient as her eyes start to tear up. He eventually lets go then starts walking back towards Axel and past the rest of the group.

Mr X: "I still think about her heart pounding underneath my chest like it is right now every time she hears my voice. I could even hear the thoughts flashing around inside her head, how much she hated me, how much she wanted revenge against me for everything I'd done. My fucking point is she's so tough on that night she never screamed once, even when I made her bleed."

As Mr X stops in front of him, Axel takes a deep breath then looks over towards Blaze.

Blaze: "He's lying, don't listen" she says as tears roll down her face but they both know he is telling the truth.

He turns back to face Mr X in front of him "I'll kill you. When this is over, I'll kill you" he promises with hate and determination in his eyes.

Mr X's reaction is celebratory as he claps his hands together "there he is! The prized fighter, I knew that rage is still inside of you. Now where's that fire of yours or where is that decision of yours?"

Axel's cheeks redden and his breathing becomes heavier as he locks eyes with Mr X whilst trying to contain his energy.

The rest of the group watch them with caution as they ready themselves for the prospect of being shot and killed.

Mr X: "I'm responsible for everything destroyed in your life. Your power will be mine, your friends are mine, and the city you grew up in is mine. I've taken away everything that belongs to you, I've killed your friends and humiliated others, raped your girl and murdered your parents! Everything you own and everyone you love belongs to me!"

Axel: "NO!" he shouts as fire explodes out of his hands which throws Mr X backwards. His men rush in to cover him and hose water over his torso which is now on fire. Even throughout the pain he still continues with his sinister laugh.

An automated announcement is immediately heard throughout the building " _Prepare for launch, 30 minutes until launch"._

Axel: "Shit!" He and the others nod towards each other as they simultaneously start fighting with those around them.

Even with her hands tied, Blaze cartwheel kicks the fighter holding her which instantly knocks the gun out of his hand. Several signals then jump in to fight and sweep the others as the whole office turns into a large fighting brawl. Axel fires his chi at the gunmen surrounding Max and Sammy just in time as he blocks a machete then uses it to kill the Galsia clone attacking him.

Mr X's fighters do everything to quickly deplete the burns over his chest as he crawls over towards his desk to grab his tommy gun.

"You lose!" He smirks up at Axel from the floor as he readies his gun from the floor.

"Take cover!" Axel shouts as he dives and rolls out of the way. Suddenly Mr X is on his feet and bullets are firing everywhere. He is a complete menace and doesn't care where he is shooting, even his own fighters are being shot around the room.

Max and Blaze crawl behind the main desk to take cover whilst the others remain in Mr X's view taking cover behind or under anyone they're fighting whilst dodging bullets.

Blaze whispers to Max: "you have to break this wire around my wrists so that I can use my chi!"

Max: "I'm trying" he struggles whilst using all of his strength.

"Arggghh!" They hear Zan shout as he is caught in Mr X's next fire round shot twice in the torso and in his leg. Axel is also shot in the shoulder whilst trying to shield Sammy after pushing him out of the way.

Abruptly after what feels like minutes, Mr X stops shooting as the team lie helplessly on the floor with enemy fighters around them in silence for the moment.

Mr X: "Now I will kill all of you!" He promises as he stands in the centre of the room.

Suddenly a large explosion hits the building causing the whole place to shake with the room instantly filling up with smoke before it turns into darkness.


	20. Chapter 20- Five minutes

**Chapter 20**

It feels as if hours have passed by when Axel opens his eyes and takes a deep breath. It was only moments ago that he was standing several feet away from the others just before the explosion. All he can see now is grey smoke, flames and rubble scattered around him. He plants his palms on the ground then lifts himself to standing on his feet as he notices the bleeding from a new gunshot wound in his shoulder. Axel's vision is blurred but he is able to breathe amongst the thick dark smoke as he frantically tries to search for his friends and for his enemy who are now nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly he feels a hand on his shoulder where he immediately reacts, transitioning into a fighting stance.

"It's me, I've come to get you out" A voice whispers to him.

Axel: "Shiva?" he recognises his voice as Shiva's face starts to appear in view.

Shiva: "Take cover here" they duck behind a fallen filing cabinet. The silence around them is deadly and their vision is limited with all the smoke surrounding them. Nearby are a number of dead bodies lying helplessly around them. It is impossible to tell right now whether or not Mr X is still alive.

Axel: "What the hell are you doing here?"

Shiva: "Adam is on his way here to get you and your friends out, we found this location from the tracker that Blaze used. She took the pill so he called me with the location as soon as we knew she was in trouble".

Axel pauses: "wait, we have to find them!" he panics as he gets up to search for the others but Shiva places his hand forward to stop him as they hear footsteps nearby.

Suddenly a bullet passes Axel's right arm and hits the wall behind them as they notice one of Mr X's soldiers laying on the ground a couple of metres away. Shiva instantly kills him by projecting a knife that lands in the back of his head but before they can carry on, several fighters and soldiers who are still alive step forward whilst guarding Mr X who is behind them.

He looks on at Shiva with disgust in his face as all surviving enemies stand paused in front of one another.

Mr X: "Well well, you decided to return to bust my enemies out of a sticky situation. One time I trusted you with my life…"

Shiva: "I have nothing to say to you!" he readies his fighting stance.

Mr X laughs: "My once loyal bodyguard now consumed or should I say confused? What are you really fighting for huh? Don't tell me your cause is the same as this crooked ex cop standing next to you".

Shiva: "I don't need to explain myself to you"

Mr X: "See the way I see it is you lose. If I live, I will make sure Kato and Oshiro take your head for betraying us and freeing our enemies. If I die, that family of yours you so dearly love will perish along with everyone else in Wood Oak City. I'm the only one who can stop that bomb, choice is yours."

Axel: "Take us to the control centre and we will spare your life"

Mr X laughs: "You are surrounded by my soldiers. If either of you dare to use your chi we will kill him".

Electra and three fighters step forward whilst holding a gun to Max's head as the negotiations continue.

Mr X: "Find the others" he orders.

Meanwhile Blaze is on the floor on the other side of the room next to Sammy who is taking cover next to Zan who is badly injured behind a desk. They are doing everything they can to stay silent and breathe quietly. Sammy's head is bleeding after getting hit by rubble whilst Blaze is struggling to breathe choking through the smoke. She sees a dead fighter on the ground that had a knife. As quickly as she can, she rubs the wire around her wrists against the sharp blade and breaks it to set her hands free.

Blaze points forward at Sammy to signal to him to stay with Zan as she discretely crawls forward towards the others. With so much smoke, darkness and debris around all she can hear is their conversation and can just about see their figures through the smoke.

Mr X continues: "Wood Oak City will fall by sunrise. You made your choice. I'm taking you both to your old masters, maybe they'll forgive you if your start cooperating"

Axel: "Fuck you"

Mr X: "It's over now, you lose". Both of them put their hands up as Max's life is threatened in front of them.

Mr X: "Tie their hands first before we leave" he orders.

Just as he finishes his sentence, an electrical current catches Electra and her fighters by surprise from behind as Max elbows the fighter with the gun behind him before more electrical chi is sent forward to free him.

Blaze: "forgot I was here huh son of a bitch?"

Mr X: "KILL THEM!" he orders as the office once again turns into chaos. Through the dark smoke, electricity and fire lights up the room as Blaze, Axel and Shiva use their chi to fight. As Mr X reaches for his gun, Shiva charges forward and destroys it from his hand using his final crash signature move.

Whilst Axel fights off three Kung Fu fighters at once, Electra almost catches him with the end of her whip until Blaze turns and double kicks the whip from her hand with her other foot hitting Electra a split second later around the face. Axel gives Blaze a nod as a thank you before he sweeps down to the ground another fighter. Max is also able to take on several soldiers circling him as he spins rapidly with his fists out. Although he is tired and injured, he takes great satisfaction from beating down half a dozen enemies in front of him.

When Mr X and his fighters realise they are losing and with him being stuck without his gun, in one last desperation attempt he activates a small grenade.

Shiva: "GRENADE!"

The four fighters jump and roll out of the way as the grenade explodes in the centre of the room, creating a large hole in the floor beneath them that separates them from each other. Mr X quickly evacuates with Electra guarding him as he runs towards a stairwell outside of the office.

Sammy calls out for help as the rest of the team continue to fight any remaining syndicate fighters and soldiers.

Sammy: "We need to get Zan out now! I can't stop the bleeding!"

Max: "Ok hold tight were coming over to you" he shouts back as he knocks out one of the Kung Fu fighters with a punch to the face.

Max: "Cover me!" He shouts to the other three as he runs over towards Sammy to assist.

Axel anxiously looks towards the stairwell as he fights off more soldiers knowing that they can't let Mr X get away however he is torn between staying and helping Zan or running out on his friends to find Mr X.

Blaze shouts over to him as she finishes killing another fighter "Go! Go find him, we'l find the bomb".

She covers him by firing her chi at another soldier as he quickly runs towards the stairwell.

Within less than five minutes, Shiva and Blaze defeat Mr X's remaining clones and fighters, most of them thrown into the hole in the ground as they perish after falling through the gap in the floor that the grenade made.

Blaze then immediately runs over towards Sammy, Max and Zan and kneels on the floor next to them.

Blaze: "Three bullet wounds and he's bleeding out. We need to get him to a hospital right away, Shiva call Adam and tell him to land on the roof if it's safe".

Shiva: "Adam is close by but we need to take Zan to the control centre, he's the only one out of us who might know how to deactivate the bomb".

Max: "I agree, we need to try we only have 12 minutes left now!"

Blaze: "Look at him!" she shouts pleading. "He'l die in minutes if we don't get him out of here!"

Shiva: "So how are we supposed to stop this bomb then?"

Blaze pauses and thinks: "I'll go, I'll find a way. My chi is inside that bomb". Without a second thought, she runs out towards the stairwell on the other side as Shiva radios to Adam.

"Adam, it's me. Land the chopper on the roof right away, all syndicate fighters in the compound are now dead. We need medical assistance straight away, Hunter do you copy?"

Shiva, Max and Sammy pause for a moment as they wait for a response.

Finally a voice comes through: "Copy that". They let out a sigh of relief.

Shiva questions Max and Sammy whilst noticing they are injured: "can you two lift Zan out of here?"

Max: "Yeah we got this, go and find that bomb".

Shiva immediately gets up to run towards the stairwell.

Max: "Be careful man" he says before Shiva acknowledges his words with a nod.

* * *

The control centre lab is only a block away from Mr X's office and is relatively easy to enter since he utilised most of his soldiers and fighters back at his office. With ease Blaze fires her chi at the intercom of the building before she enters it. As soon as she is inside the whole place appears to be evacuated with files everywhere, alarms sounding and empty labs with paper work flying around. Each floor is dark with the lights flickering as Blaze makes her way to the end of another corridor. She is uncertain at what lies ahead but she knows that she needs to be quick in finding the bomb before it is too late.

She reaches the far end of the corridor before she opens the door to a large control room. As she enters, Blaze gasps when she witnesses a 100ft missile in the centre of the room which is ready to launch into the sky above the open roof. She looks up and sees Dr Dham in a glass room where the controls are. Suddenly, as she runs up the metallic stairwell that leads to the next floor, several fighters step out in front of her.

"Where do you think you're going bitch?" Soozie glares at her with her arms folded as more fighters come out that stand in front of Blaze.

Blaze: "get the fuck out of my way!"

Soozie shakes her head: "I've waited a long time to hurt you"

Blaze: "Can't you see that bomb up there will wipe out everyone you know back home! Get out of my way now!"

Four signal fighters first charge forward as Blaze fights them as quickly as she can against the timer now set to nine minutes. She fights with precision and efficiency, using her chi whilst throwing fighters over the stairwell and out of the way. Her one goal is to make it to the control centre in time. Blaze catches her breath as several more dead and unconscious fighters lie on the ground around her.

Soozie: "You don't stand a chance in stopping that bomb"

Blaze: "You think so? Watch me!"

Blaze jumps and kicks Soozie in the face but she is quick to counter attack as she sweeps Blaze to the ground then tackles her with her hands around her neck. Blaze manages to kick Soozie in the stomach off of her but as she tries to get up, Soozie pulls her back and grabs her by the hair. Blaze then elbows her in the ribs before round house kicking Soozie.

The two of them then try to grab each other around the neck as Soozie tries to force Blaze backwards over the edge of the stairwell and into a chemical basin lying just ten metres below them.

"I've waited a long time for this!" Soozie snarls as Blaze edges closer to the edge with her heels sliding over it. Unexpectedly, Blaze uses her chi from one hand to break part of the ground beneath the two of them as they fall off of the edge. Fortunately Blaze is fast enough to grab one of the metal hand rails as Soozie falls screaming to her death. A splash into the chemical basin is heard that silences her.

Blaze anxiously looks down and catches her breath as she clutches onto the rail for her life. With part of the floor destroyed that was underneath them she frantically looks around the room for a platform that she can safely jump onto but everything is too far away.

Blaze: "Help! Somebody help!"

She hears footsteps running towards her and is relieved when she realises it is Shiva. He extends his hand out whilst standing on the edge of the broken platform. She takes his hand as he pulls her up to safety.

Blaze: "Thanks for coming back, I'm sorry I ever doubted you"

He nods in acknowledgement. "We don't have much time" he replies as they glance towards the timer now reading five minutes….


	21. Chapter 21- Final countdown

**Chapter 21**

Mr X stands with Electra as she frantically presses the elevator button in the basement of the control centre.

"Go and find Dr Dham, I will drive my way out of the tunnel and will meet you at the usual check point" Mr X orders her.

Electra looks at her watch "five minutes left now until launch"

Mr X: "Call Raven and any of our fighters back at Wood Oak City. Tell them they have just three hours to gather our supplies before they find safety".

The elevator door opens as Electra steps in. "Be careful Javier" she politely says as he readies himself to flee.

Mr X: "I know you loved him but I want you to know that I still always respected you for putting our business first".

Electra questions him with confusion on her face: "Who? What are you talking about?"

Mr X: "Tiger. We will avenge him I promise".

A tear rolls down Electra's face as the elevator doors shut.

* * *

Mr X swiftly walks to the basement car park as he presses his keys to open his black Mercedes. Although this was never an ideal scenario, he always had a backup getaway plan and this was it. With most of his soldiers and fighters now dead, the number one priority is to make it to safety. As he turns and looks behind, he walks forward but the car fails again and again to unlock from its key. He immediately realises there is a problem as Axel steps out from behind one of the pillars.

Mr X stops and glares at him with evil in his eyes.

Axel immediately charges forward with fire in his fists as he executes a powerful upper cut that sends Mr X collapsing to the ground. With rage, he kicks and punches him over and over again until his enemy is coughing blood. Axel then lifts Mr X by the collar to his feet.

"Six million people, six millions lives will die because of you!" Axel says before he punches him again in the face.

Mr X raises his hands in the air as Axel loosens his grip but he retaliates by trying to punch back. Axel is quick to dodge his efforts as Mr X falls to the ground and lies helplessly on his front, still in pain from being burnt earlier.

Axel: "I swore to myself this day would come where I would kill you!"

Mr X: "you would kill me in cold blood? I'm a helpless man right now, just like your father was when you killed him".

Axel: "Visser, that man you worked with was not my father! I killed him and I'll kill you for what you did!"

Mr X holds one more lifeline as Axel lifts him off the ground to annihilate him.

"Wait" he quietly says, out of breath and in pain "wait.. I can stop the bomb. But if you kill me, there's no chance".

Axel pulls out a knife presses it against his back then forces Mr X to walk towards the elevators that lead to the control centre upstairs. 

* * *

"He's in that room!" Blaze points up at the glass window to where Dr Dham is stationed. Her and Shiva run as quickly as possible up the rest of the stairs towards the control room doors.

"Shit I can't open the door!" Shiva says as they try to bust open the heavily secured room. Inside they can see Dr Dham in fear frantically running around looking for another way out.

Blaze tries to throw an electric ball with her chi towards the door which starts to break. Shiva then intervenes as the two of them attack the door from right and left with their chi. As they get closer to opening the door, they notice Electra holding her hand out to Dr Dham from one of the vents on the ceiling.

"Come with me before it's too late!" Electra shouts down at Dr Dham as the door to the room shakes.

"Hurry!" She becomes impatient as he makes sure that he retrieves one last flask sample of blood that he places in his lab coat pocket. He takes her hand and is lifted to safety just in time before the thick door shatters and opens.

Blaze immediately runs over to the controls with over 100 buttons and a large screen displaying the missile. She is overwhelmed and pressured for time with less than four minutes to go now. Shiva jumps and pulls himself into the vent to go after Electra and Dr Dham in the hope that he will find them in time to stop the launch.

Blaze uses her hand print to try and gain access to the controls. She also types in emergency codes to try and deactivate the missile but it is no use. The only words that become displayed are ' _Access Denied_ ' in red.

She uses a phone attached to the wall to contact Tim Murphy who is stationed in Wood Oak City where it is now in the middle of the night.

'Please pick up' she whispers to herself.

Blaze: "Tim?! Tim can you hear me?!" she panics.

Tim: "Blaze?!"

Blaze: "We're running outta time, I'm calling you from the centre of Lima. A missile has been activated with target Wood Oak City, I can't stop it! Send warning to everyone to evacuate the city immediately. Please, Mr X is on the run".

Tim: "What? Mr X is dead! We killed him have you gone insane?!"

Blaze: "No no no no listen to me, I am standing right in front of an energy missile with my power inside that will destroy the city! You killed a decoy, please listen".

Tim: "You got some nerve Fielding calling this late after deserting us. The Government signed the treaty weeks ago the war is over!"

Blaze: "What? But I left Wood Oak City five days ago. The wound is still healing on my leg when the explosion hit our building. Murphy?!"

Tim: "You've been gone now for almost three months! The war is over!"

Blaze: "No, no that can't be right. It will take three hours for the bomb to reach Wood Oak City, please get yourself to safety if you want to live".

Tim: "Goodbye Blaze"

 _#Hangs up#_

Blaze is left staring into space in shock. Three months? That can't be right. Is this really all just a dream again or a fake reality? She is quickly distracted from her thoughts as she props up into a fighting stance when Mr X enters the room with Axel. He forces Mr X forward who places his hand on the control reader. The display board then lights up a green colour as the control buttons become activated. ' _Access Granted_ ' A female voice speaks out from the computer.

"Deactivate it!" Axel orders as there is now less than two minutes left on the clock. Mr X smirks and hesitates.

"I said Deactivate it you son of a bitch!" he insists.

Mr X proceeds and types in a code. The voice from the computer speaks again "Please enter new coordinates".

Axel: "New coordinates?"

Mr X: "It's too late to stop the bomb, looks like you get to choose who dies again" he heckles.

Axel grabs him impatiently around the collar "I said deactivate this piece of shit!" Mr X laughs again as the clock continues to count down. He then silences his laugh with a punch to the face.

Blaze and Axel look at each other in front of the controls feeling undecided.

"Someones gotta die!" Mr X laughs again as he looks up at them from the floor.

"Target Wood Oak City province, 40 seconds. Please enter new coordinates" the computer repeats.

"He's right" Blaze says as she reaches for Axel's dog tags around his neck.

"You fucking genius!" He reacts as he pulls off his chain and punches in the coordinates to the Yamato temple.

"12 seconds… 10, 9, 8,…."

They stand back as they watch the bottom of the missile fire up. It burns with heat and the light is too bright so they take cover and lie face down on the ground whilst shielding their ears as the noise intensifies before the missile is projected on its course and into the sky.


	22. Chapter 22- Neo X

**Chapter 22**

Adam watches with fear from the cockpit of his helicopter as the surrounding forest suddenly turns into a bright white light. The missile is loud and fast and takes to the sky in just a matter of seconds. Never has he seen anything like this. Even last year the war heads at Eros district that were contained underground seemed to be a tenth of the size of this long range missile.

The helicopter which has been stationed on the nearby roof of Mr X's headquarters violently rattles for a few moments.

"Is everyone ok?" Adam questions Sammy, Zan and Max who are inside behind him. Their response is minimal and is one of pure shock when Max eventually responds once the launch is over. "What the…?"

It takes what feels like minutes for them to re-centre their thoughts.

Max: "We need to go back! Axel and Blaze are still in Dahm's lab, they were supposed to stop it…"

Sammy: "shit we gotta warn everyone back home!"

Adam: "you telling me that thing up there is headed for Wood Oak?"

Sammy: "yeah… shit!"

With urgency Adam reaches for his radio.

"Tim? Tim can you hear me?... please?... Tim are you there?" There is nothing but white noise in the background.

Max then reaches for the gun next to Adam. "If there is any military left around they'll intercept your signal and will attack us. Is this all we've got?" he glances at Adam's gun.

Adam ignores him with frustration then he continues to persist with his radio with tears in his eyes.

"Keri? Keri if you can hear me take the kids and get as far away from Wood Oak as possible immediately. Just drop everything and go now! Please… Keri?... Keri can you hear me?" his voice starts to croak.

Max then places one hand on his shoulder "I need your help, he's not gonna make it otherwise" he refers to Zan lying unconscious on the ground who is still heavily bleeding from gunshot wounds. Adam gives him a nod, pulls himself together then tries over and over again to reach Tim Murphy from his radio.

"Tim? Can you hear me?..."

* * *

Electra and Dr Dahm wait patiently at their meeting point high up on the edge of the city. It has now been ten minutes since the missile launched but there is still no sign of Mr X.

"He's as good as dead now" Electra comments pessimistically as she looks out into the distance.

Dr Dahm: "We don't know that"

She pauses for a moment "he wont make it out of there even if he is still alive. Initiate Robot Y, it's our last hope in destroying any evidence and finding him".

Dr Dahm: "I can't!… not without Mr X's authorization".

Hastily Electra grabs him by the collar and places her armed whip next to his face "you follow orders from me now, understood?" she demands.

The Dr. has no choice but to do as she says. Without any more hesitation, he reaches for his phone and taps in a code.

Electra: "Good. Now we can…"

 _#Spark#_

To her surprise, an electrical current catches her on the back whilst off guard. She turns around to find Shiva with his palm facing forward.

Shiva: "Your gonna tell me right now how to stop that missile and where your running to!"

Electra grins: "What a pleasant surprise Leon. You should know that I take great pleasure in hunting down traitors and if the boss were here he would make you suffer…"

Shiva: "I'm ending this right now!" He readies his fists which display more white sparks.

Using her other hand, Electra dismantles her whip then tosses it down to the ground unexpectedly. She then places her hands in the air.

Electra: "You should also know that it wasn't my goal to kill you or your family. That was all Mr X".

Shiva: "Shut up or tell me how to stop that missile!"

She shakes her head "Its course is already set for Wood Oak City. Angelina's boy is there right? At the moment we don't have any radio signal going out of Lima but…"

Shiva: "You don't know anything!" he interrupts.

Electra continues: "but I can still reach Neo Chaos who are there now with Raven and we can get your boy to safety. See I'm the leader now and with the boss now dead, I rule the syndicate".

Shiva: "How long until the missile hits?"

Electra: "Three hours, at most". He pauses and thinks.

Electra: "See you were never my enemy. The boss has wanted you dead for months now but I had other plans. And I get it, you got a family, people you love. I had that once remember?"

Shiva: "Tiger used you"

Electra: "No! We had a future planned before he died. We didn't like how the syndicate was running, Mr X- he lost it when he killed those children! Now that he's dead, this war can end and we can go back to the old days when it was all about the money and our product, no politics, no wars! I promise you that if you let us go, your children will be safe. There's even a place for you in my organisation with all of the things you once envisioned for the syndicate".

Shiva: "Make that call to your fighters back at Wood Oak and order them to warn everyone to evacuate and I'll let you go".

Electra nods and agrees before Dr Dahm passes her his phone.

Shiva waits cautiously with his fist still alight as she makes the call.

Electra: "Raven it's me. I need you to listen as Mr X is dead"

Raven: "What's going on?" His voice echoes through the loud speaker.

Electra: "A rakushin missile is headed for Wood Oak City. Once it detonates it will wipe out everything. I'm ordering you to radio not just our fighters but the whole city and warn them to leave. We won't have any business if there is no one left you hear me?"

After a long pause he responds "Yes boss, how long have we got?"

Electra: "Three hours tops".

Raven: "Shit"

 _#Hangs up#_

She throws the phone down onto the ground and looks up at Shiva with hope in her eyes as he cuts off his chi.

Shiva: "I never wanna see you again, go and leave this place".

Electra: "The offer to work for us is still there if you change your mind you know, we made a good team."

Shiva contemplates her offer as Electra and Dr Dahm walk away into the distance where the new dawn is breaking that lights the skies around them. Now that his family are safe without Mr X ruling the syndicate, there is the option for Shiva to thrive once again. Without his family he is lost and without the syndicate, it is an unfulfilling life for him. Having a normal career, being a retired fighter, or even being a father just isn't enough for Shiva. 

* * *

The alarms from the control centre repeat loudly as the whole building violently shakes from the missile launch. It takes at least five minutes for the sound to stop as well as the intense heat created from the launch. As soon as it is safe to do so, Axel glances around and comes to standing from the floor. All he can see around him is fire parts of the lab collapsed and disintegrated.

"You ok?" he asks as Blaze stands to her feet whilst debris from above stop falling.

Blaze glances around, "I'm ok. Where is he?" she responds as she frantically tries to search for Mr X who was less than 10 feet away from them when the launch started. The pair start to move collapsed tables and fallen cabinets to try and find him but he is nowhere to be seen.

Axel: "He couldn't have escaped the building as the alarm would have triggered all the doors to lock. He's hiding inside somewhere" he says with caution as they exit the control centre to walk back down to where the base of the missile once sat when they entered.

Suddenly the whole lab violently shakes again as more of it continues to collapse.

Axel: "Thanks" he sighs after Blaze steers him to one side from more falling debris.

Axel: "We have to get out of here!" They run over to a door but as expected, it is locked.

Blaze: "This can only open if we activate it". They glance back at the control room behind them which is now destroyed along with its large computer so it is no use trying to open it. They then decide to run to the other side past further fallen debris towards a second exit. Axel places his palm on the metallic door in front of him but then halts Blaze back with his other hand.

"Don't touch it, there's fire on the other side" he says as he feels the heat under his palm.

Blaze: "How bad is it?"

Axel: "It's pretty bad!" He replies before he pulls down several lab jackets.

Axel: "Run these under any water you can find and wrap them around you".

Blaze: "No, if there's an inferno out there… you don't even know if that door will lead to a way out!"

Axel: "It's our only way out"

Blaze: "Go, leave me here you'll be able to withstand the fire but I won't! I'll only hold you back"

Axel: "I'm not leaving you here we'll find another way out…"

They immediately turn around as soon as they hear heckling behind them that unexpectedly interrupts.

"Ah ha ha ha ha ha" Mr X repeats his signature laugh over and over again as he stands from having been forced under several tables and lab equipment. His sinister voice and glare are a sign of evil underneath the flickering panel light broken above him.

Blaze readies her fists which spark with electrical current as he grins at them from just metres away. They are suddenly startled by a loud noise coming from the first exit they checked out which is now next to Mr X.

The three of them stand there in silence as the loud noise repeats once again. Clearly someone is trying with force to open the first door from the other side.

Abruptly, all of the electrics and lights in the lab cut out which leaves them alone in pitch black darkness. The hole in the roof where the missile left is too high to light up the danger zone around them that is full of chemicals, broken cables along with their enemy Mr X nearby.

Again the violent banging on the door resumes periodically with pauses in between. During the silence, Axel can hear Blaze exhaling quickly whilst trying to stay focused in fright or flight mode so he gently takes her hand in the darkness before they cautiously and quietly walk together towards the edge of the room. He chooses not to light a flame from his palm in case Mr X has drawn in closer. They both carefully feel around the walls before finding a standing cabinet that they duck and hide behind.

For several moments all they can hear is each other's breathing as they wait with fear and uncertainty. More banging of the door startles them before it intensifies.

"What is that?" Blaze whispers feeling afraid.

Axel: "I don't know…" he also responds feeling vulnerable as they ready their fists.

Finally the large door bursts open. They then hear the sound of the wind from outside but it is strange. There are no footsteps, no gunfire, bombs, soldiers or voices rushing in. The two of them duck lower as they hear the sound of a jet pack circling the room high up. It is as if a large shadow is flying around in the darkness that they can't see but it is clear that whatever it is, it's hunting them down.


	23. Chapter 23 - Vengeance

**Chapter 23**

Axel and Blaze wait silently behind the large cabinet as the lab lights in the room start to flicker on once more. They hear the sound of jet packs and air violently brushing past them from side to side. It is impossible to tell how many fighters have entered or whatever this is- is it human or is it machine? Amongst this chaos they hear the echo from Mr X's haunting laughter. The pair stay put in the meantime as they assess the situation whilst planning their next move.

Blaze glances down at her own shoulder which is now stained with blood. She then remembers Axel being shot in the shoulder back at Mr X's office just minutes earlier. His face has reddened with a break of sweat beaming from his forehead as Axel expresses discomfort from the bullet. She shakes her head at him as a signal for him to stay where he is as the bleeding is getting worse.

"Search every corner in here!" Mr X orders as the pair of fighters roll out from hiding on each side of the cabinet. They gaze up in astonishment as they look at a robot double their size with at six jet packs to keep it elevated no lower than 5 feet of the ground. It's colour is a dark green camouflage designed for outdoor combat. The robot's face is dark and sombre as his body twists and turns with ease through the air.

"The purpose of Robot Y was to annihilate eight hundred of your soldiers who came to our land three months ago. Looks like my hard work won't go to waste after all." Mr X comments.

Axel smirks before he jumps up with a vertical kick that crashes into the robot's back as it flies past.

Mr X shakes his head in amusement "you'll have to try harder than that!"

Suddenly Robot Y reaches forward to grab Axel around his waist. It violently electrocutes him before throwing him three metres through the air until he crashes into another cabinet. The robot's focus then turns to Blaze as she readies a large blue ball of energy in her hand. She stands and waits for it to charge forward. When it does, she runs and executes a powerful strike with her energy into the chest of the robot before rolling out of the way. This causes one of his jet packs to smoke with fire, giving Axel the chance to kick up off the ground and ready his fighting stance.

Focussed and determined more than ever, Blaze charges forward again towards the robot. "Kikosho!" she shouts as she summersaults through the air and catches another jet pack. This weakens Robot Y a little further by slowing down his flight but he is far from finished. He violently spins through the air then charges once again even faster this time towards Axel who has no choice but to dive out of the way. He then comes to his feet and faces the Robot, glaring at it's red eyes whilst the Robot targets where it will strike Axel next.

This gives Blaze enough time to take advantage of the distraction. She runs and jumps over several wheeling lab tables before leaping off the last one and onto the Robots back. She clings on, punching and using her energy to weaken more of the jet packs whilst Axel uses his upper cut to attack the front of the Robot. They work well as a team but Robot Y keeps one more trick up it's sleeve. It violently starts to spin around out of control, even faster this time.

It extends an arm and punches Axel forward through his stomach whilst Blaze struggles to hold on. She manages to climb higher up until her hands grab it around its neck whilst her feet rest between the jet packs.

"Let go!" Axel shouts from the ground as the Robot starts to fire electric current from its head and neck whilst spinning even faster with Blaze holding on. Her body illuminates into an electrical display as she is viciously shocked for at least five seconds whilst spinning through the air. She can't hold on any longer and is eventually tossed away to crash on the floor.

Mr X victoriously laughs as the two fighters lay wounded on the ground. Neither of them have the strength to stand up. It now looks as if they're lives are about to come to an end. Axel heavily breathes whilst clutching in pain onto his stomach where he was attacked. He glances over to the other side of the room where Blaze is lying on her front with her eyes closed. She is either unconscious or dead.

"Make sure they're dead!" Mr X orders. Robot Y's mechanical arm extends further as a weapon whilst sparking more electricity. It would be so easy right now to lay there and give up – worst case scenario a quick death by electrocution. Just as Axel succumbs to his last breath, he looks up at the light and sees his parents.

He hears his mother's voice pleading "die and the world dies with you. Your work here is not done!"

In the space of a moment he takes a deep breath then stands up before Robot Y charges forward again in his direction. Axel's whole body suddenly turns to fire which impulses out of him like an inferno. It causes the Robot to tumble and rotate out of control through the air in a display of smoke. Eventually it crashes into a wall as all but one remaining jet pack breaks.

"NO!" Mr X shouts in anger. Axel continues with his assault as he upper cuts the robot against the wall over and over again with flames coming from his fists. All the robot can do now is float in the air on its remaining jet pack and the only defence it has is the odd electrical spark from its body as Axel delivers more punishing hits. These have little effect on Axel who is focused on killing it.

Mr X watches with panic as his prized robot suddenly starts to spin around in the air whilst mini explosions erupt from its body. Axel jumps out of the way and takes cover as the Robot self-destructs. He immediately runs over towards Blaze who is barely breathing on the ground. "Come on, stay with me" he says to her.

Mr X takes advantage of his distraction and limps towards the now open exit to escape. He is then caught in the back by a fire ball that Axel projects towards which causes him to fall to the ground. "You're not getting out of here alive" Axel says as he drags the weakened Mr X by his feet towards the centre of the room. With the strength he has left Axel stands Mr X up and ties his hands to a gas pipe situated just above them. He stands there weakened, tied up and helpless. His once smart shirt and suit now ripped and bloodstained. Mr X's face is almost unrecognisable after Axel breaks it again and again each time his famous laugh heckles after being hit.

"The syndicate is yours my boy- it was always yours for the taking."

 _#PUNCH#_

Axel delivers another blow this time busting Mr X's lip. In one last plea, he extends an olive branch. "My scientists…. they can help you" Mr X comments with breathlessness.

Axel responds curiously "what do you mean?"

Mr X struggles again to get his words out. "I've witnessed the amazing work they've done in bringing my loved ones back to life. They can now do the same for you, we can bring your parents back".

Axel: "What like they brought back General Petrov? So you can control their mind to obey your orders? Don't waste your breath".

Mr X: "I know you're thinking about my offer. Kill me and you will never know".

Axel ignores him and walks away as he diverts his attention when he hears Blaze moving. He is surprised at how quickly she stands to her feet.

"You ok?" he asks concerned but she ignores him and charges forward with hate and determination in her eyes. It appears that the electric shock has charged her chi back up. She walks with her fists closed which spark electric current.

Blaze: "Don't listen to anything he says Axel". He puts his hand in front of her to stop her attack as she stares at him annoyed.

Blaze: "What are you doing?! We can't keep him alive! He needs to die, remember everything this man has done!" Any thoughts of doubt immediately disappear from Axel's mind as he nods at Blaze in agreement.

Mr X smirks when she turns and projects her chi towards his chest. Axel is next to project another fire ball which hits him as he shouts in agony. One by one, the two of them take turns projecting their energy and punishing their enemy who is dying slowly and painfully. His body ignites each time with a mixture of fire and electric as Mr X is punished with revenge. Every burst of energy is even more agonising than the previous one, ripping into his flesh right through to his bones and organs. He finally takes one last painful breath as Axel delivers the last hit of fire that ends his life.

With all the hatred in her body, Blaze continues projecting her chi over and over again, oblivious to the fact that Mr X is already dead.

"He's dead, it's over!" Axel shouts out as she continues to fire. It takes Blaze a couple of moments to snap out of her rage and process what he's saying before she halts. She catches her breath then immediately bursts into tears, covering her face in disbelief that this day has finally arrived.

"It's over now. It's ok, he's dead" he reassures as he puts his arms around her. They hold each other for a minute, battered and in pain in front of a defeated Mr X.

It is surreal to think about vengeance and justice most of your life for it to finally arrive one day in the space of a minute. Is this moment real? Or was this all just another nightmare? They think to themselves.

The sound of a helicopter suddenly pulls Axel away from his thoughts. "Come on, we gotta get out of here". He takes her hand and quickly leads Blaze out towards the broken doorway then through a narrow corridor leading to an exit. He kicks open the exit as they feel the fresh air and wind against their faces. The air has never felt the same. The sky is beautiful right now- a rich mixture of yellow, red and purple as the dawn to a new day appears.

They gaze upwards at the helicopter with Adam flying and Max throwing down a roped ladder. "Axel! Blaze! Climb up now, we need to leave before this whole place blows!"


	24. Chapter 24- Aftermath

**Chapter 24**

Blaze stares down at the blood on her palms. The dawn's air hits her face as the helicopter ascends higher and higher. Her heart palpitates and her mind freezes as if time never existed. She can't help but sit in her seat, numb and sombre whilst everyone else around her stays alert with panic and attentiveness to Zan who is fighting for his life. He lays on the ground with an oxygen mask as Sammy, Max and Axel talk to him to try and keep him awake.

The scenery above Lima is beautiful after the helicopter flies away from Mr X's new city. Most of the landscape is a deep green that is full of untouched forest. The peaceful sunrise is suddenly interrupted as the purple hazy twilight turns into a blinding white light followed by several explosions that cause Mr X's city to shatter into millions of pieces.

Adam who is piloting the helicopter is taken back by the might of this explosion as he gasps in astonishment. "Good thing you two got out when you did!" He remarks to Axel and Blaze who look at one another in shock.

"What do you think caused that?" Sammy replies.

Adam: "It's gotta be a self-destruct mode the lab had in order to destroy the evidence of what existed here along with all of the syndicate's war crimes".

Max: "Anyone left in that city would have perished".

Adam: "Our satellite data shows only Lima soldiers surrounded these areas. Hopefully any citizens fled the city to the outskirts when the nuke launched but we can never be sure".

Axel: "Wait, what about Shiva? Has anyone heard from him?"

Blaze: "He'd left the building to go and find Electra and Dr Dahm. But I have no idea if…"

Adam interrupts "Shiva is ok. He'll meet us by the docks".

Sammy: "The docks?"

Adam: "Yes bro, we are going home! A medic is on standby once we land to treat Zan. Just make sure he stays conscious". A smile and a glimmer of hope returns to Sammy's face. Finally the word 'home', it has never meant this much. 

* * *

One hour later and the team have landed where they reunite by the docks. Zan is immediately taken away on a stretcher whilst two medics rush forward to treat Axel for his gunshot wound and Max who was badly beaten by Mr X's fighters. They are rushed away into a building leaving Adam, Sammy and Blaze behind. The trio immediately run after the stretcher that carries Zan into a building by the docks whilst the medics act quickly in attaching a drip into the top of Zan's arm along with a new oxygen mask.

"We need to act quickly if we are to save his life" one of the medics insists to Adam as she hooks Zan up to a monitor.

"What do you think his odds are of survival?" Adam questions whilst Sammy and Blaze listen anxiously.

"I think it's 50-50" the medic replies. "He has three gun shots, two have hit metallic limbs on his body including his shoulder and leg. These are not the problem. The third wound close to his abdomen is the problem. We need to operate carefully so if you don't mind…"

Adam nods before the three fighters walk towards the exit door of the premises.

"He's going to be ok" Blaze reassures a nervous Sammy.

"You don't know that" Sammy responds. "You should have seen what they did to him, they tortured him, messed around with his brain!"

Blaze: "Listen to me! Zan is a fighter just like you, just like me. And he WILL pull through this. I know he will".

Just as she finishes her sentence they hear the heart monitor behind them go into a flat sound as Zan stops breathing. Everything becomes an echo and time feels like it is slowing down as the doctors try to resuscitate him. They reach for a defibrillator in an attempt to restart Zan's heart but it is not working. They attempt four times then shake their head as it fails to save his life.

"No!" Sammy shouts out as Blaze runs forward to his bedside. Her palms light up a blue current as she takes both of Zan's hands which spark energy over and over again. She tries again and again but doesn't give up whilst the doctors watch on in amazement.

And finally, after one last pulse of energy, Zan breathes life and the sound of the machine marking his pulse bleeps once more.

Sammy and Adam run forward as Blaze catches her breath.

Sammy shouts out with elation "He's alive!" whilst Adam puts his hand on Blaze's shoulder.

Adam: "You did it!" he happily responds as he gives her a hug. One doctor who is amazed turns to Blaze. "You saved his life, thank you! We will do our best to operate and remove the bullet but you have just bought him more time. Whatever you did, it worked!" She says with excitement in her tone.

* * *

Two hours pass before the medical team reappear with news of Zan's operation. Everyone stands up anxiously as the main doctor addresses them.

"It's good news, he is going to make it". There is a huge sigh of relief as Adam and Axel shake the doctor's hand to thank her.

She continues "we would however advise that the patient remains here for at least the next 24 hours so that we can monitor him".

Adam: "Our ship is due to leave in a couple of hours. I don't think he can…"

The doctor continues "do you have anyone with you with medical experience?"

For a split second the name Eliza comes to mind but Max quietly bites his tongue as he remembers the love of his life leaving Wood Oak City with them but then it is painful to realise he will never see her again. He looks out towards the docks on this side of their journey as he remembers how happy he once was and how quickly that was all taken away from him the last time he was present somewhere like this.

The team sense how Max is feeling and there is an awkward silence in the air.

"I'll look after him" Axel speaks out "I'm a trained medic, I learnt a lot when I was in the military. Just give me everything I need and I will make sure he's ok".

"I second that" another voice speaks out as Shiva greets them.

The doctor nods and prepares to leave so that he can ready everything Zan will need for the journey back.

Sammy: "Can we see him?" he asks.

"I don't see why not. Only two of you at a time though, we don't want to overwhelm him" she suggests. 

* * *

It has only been half an hour since Zan woke up from his operation. He glances around the bare room full of empty hospital beds with equipment scattered around. As his vision becomes clearer he notices Sammy and Axel sitting by his bedside.

Everything feels completely different right now and Zan has no recollection of the last three days of his life.

"Where am I?" he asks, slightly panicked.

Axel and Sammy glance at one another, surprised that he is talking again and that he seems to be aware of his surroundings unlike when he was in the custody of Mr X.

Axel: "We're still in Lima but we're getting ready to go home."

Zan panics and responds: "You have to go back and find Shiva and Blaze! Mr X wants the three of you alive, he is planning to send a missile to wipe out Wood Oak City then he wants to continue by using your power. He is planning to ambush Wood Oak's soldiers. You have to stop him!"

Axel reassures him "it's ok, everyone is fine. Mr X is dead".

Zan turns to him surprised "but I just saw him! They had me on this bed, Sammy tell him!"

Sammy responds: "It's ok Dr. They drugged you up and then experimented on your mind. I don't know what they gave you but it zombied you out for three days, you were doing everything they said".

Axel: "This place we're in is a temporary hospital stationed on the edge of Lima. It was built to treat any casualties for our soldiers".

Zan pauses in shock as he understands where he is and that Dr Dahm had complete control of his mind.

Sammy: "They kept mentioning about how they wanted to complete your transformation".

Zan: "Yes, they needed to turn me into a living weapon. They planned to have me under their control. How, how did you find the antidote to the injection?"

Axel: "We didn't. You died then Blaze brought you back using her chi. The voltage must have restarted your heart".

Zan sighs with relief "I certainly feel it in my head. And… ahhh…" He feels the pain of the gunshot wound in his stomach as he tries to move.

Sammy: "Just rest Dr and you will be ok".

Zan: "What about the others, are they ok? How did Mr X die..?"

Axel responds: "Just rest up and I'll explain everything when we're on our way home. The war is over and we are leaving this place, that's all you need to know right now so everything is ok." His words are reassuring. Zan is content with his explanation and is grateful to his friends for saving his life as things could have ended very differently for him.


End file.
